The Connection Between Depression And Hygiene: Tips For Staying Healthy

Medically reviewed by Arianna Williams, LPC, CCTP
Updated October 21, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team

Alongside anxiety disorders, depression is one of the most statistically common mental health conditions—the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 5% of adults live with depression across the globe. Depressive disorders can impact anyone, including kids, teens and adults. It has the potential to impact all parts of life—including hygiene and overall self-care.

If you find that depression affects your hygiene, there are things you can do to help yourself and experience a higher level of confidence. Below, we’re exploring lifestyle and habit changes that can alleviate this strain, as well as the role that online therapy can play in addressing the condition.

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What is the connection between hygiene and depression?

Many studies have found a connection between mental health and hygiene, possibly validating the experiences of those who live with the condition and experience hygiene hardship as a symptom. Beyond this, depression can come with several symptoms that can make personal hygiene and other self-care pieces more difficult overall.

Common symptoms of depression and their impact on hygiene

Symptoms of depression might include (but aren’t limited to):

  • A “down,” low or depressed mood
  • A loss of interest or enjoyment in activities
  • Trouble with focus or concentration
  • Low energy and fatigue
  • Social isolation or withdrawal from others
  • Changes in sleep (such as sleeping too much, sleeping too little or restless sleep)
  • Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness or guilt
  • Changes in appetite
  • Slowed physical movements or psychomotor activity
  • Restlessness
  • Irritability

Physical depression symptoms and their impact on personal hygiene

Many people who live with depression can also experience body aches, muscle tension, GI distress and other physical symptoms that can otherwise inhibit hygiene steps. 

We do want to note: Depression can range in severity, and the signs may vary from person to person, as can the level of difficulty someone has with hygiene and overall self-care. Seeking help from a healthcare provider can be a strong first step for many in developing a personalized care plan that can reduce strain around hygiene routines for many.

What does it look like when depression affects hygiene? 

Hygiene refers to how we establish and maintain health, including cleanliness. Personal hygiene, then, may refer to the personal practices that we use to care for ourselves with this in mind.

Hygiene and self-care tasks for mental health and well-being

It can include tasks such as:

  • Dental or oral hygiene. This type of hygiene includes brushing, flossing, and attending regular dental appointments. 

  • Nutrition: Healthy habits surrounding nutrition may include going to the grocery store, preparing healthy meals, and maintaining healthy eating patterns..

  • Bodily hygiene: This can refer to washing and brushing one’s hair, showering or bathing regularly, wearing clean clothes, and personal grooming habits.

  • Home maintenance: A clean living space is typically one where clutter and dirt are kept at bay with regular cleaning, laundry, and pet care. 

Maintaining hygienic habits while managing depression

While keeping up with hygiene can be a difficult task for those who live with the condition, there are many different strategies that can help to improve one’s hygiene habits, which can directly impact one’s quality of life. 

For example, if you find that you’re having difficulty keeping up with housework in this season, you might investigate hiring a housekeeper or asking friends for a helping hand. If you notice that you have difficulty brushing your teeth before bed, you might try doing it at a different time of day where you feel more motivated. 

While it can take time to determine what works best for your specific needs, you may find it easier to manage your symptoms once you have implemented these changes.

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Addressing symptoms of depression and enhancing mental health

A recent study from JAMA Internal Medicine has found that many people who live with depression don’t seek help for their symptoms. However, depression can be managed in a few different ways, including:

  • Talk therapy: Research has found psychotherapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral activation, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), to be effective modalities for depression.

  • Medication*: Those with depressive disorders often benefit from medications like antidepressants

  • Lifestyle modification: Improving one’s self-care habits is another way to help manage depression. This could include getting regular exercise, improving sleep and hygiene habits, limiting or abstaining from substance use, and more.

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.

*BetterHelp does not prescribe medication. Before starting, stopping or changing medications, please consult with a prescribing doctor, such as your primary care physician or a psychiatrist.

Here are some tips for managing your depression symptoms:

  1. Do what you can to manage depression and hygiene

Sometimes, it can help to move in small steps or do what you can, rather than. trying to do it all. Let’s say that, for example, it feels overwhelming to stand up in the shower and engage in every single step that you want to. Instead, you can sit in the shower and do only what needs to be done. 

You can also use tools that make caring for your hygiene easier if available to you— like mouthwash, flossing sticks or dry shampoo in place of a full routine. You can always change your go-to routine if you feel better or have more energy that day. However, having the option can be helpful to break through the barrier of overwhelm and take that first step forward. 

  1.  Ask for help from others when feeling depressed

Self-care doesn’t necessarily mean doing everything on your own. Sometimes, it can also mean letting another person assist you or reaching out to ask for that aid or support.

You may consider making a strategy that includes others when hygiene is difficult, such as creating a support network of your closest friends and family who can encourage you. They can also be a physical support to you if you need additional help getting the ball rolling on your next home or hygiene-related task, especially during times when you feel depressed.

  1. Modify unhelpful thought patterns

Positive self-talk and mitigating negative feelings or beliefs about oneself can be vital to achieving a higher quality of life. For example, instead of thinking, “I am a failure,” when concerns related to hygiene and self-care arise, you might instead say, “I am learning how to navigate this better, and I deserve kindness”.

Taking care of you: Therapy can help manage symptoms of depression

Taking steps to care for your hygiene is something to be proud of, and self-compassion may be worth prioritizing throughout the process. If you live with depression or find that your mental health is affecting your hygiene or other areas of your life, consider reaching out to an online therapist.

Through BetterHelp, you can connect with a licensed therapist at a time that works for you from the comfort of your own home, which can be helpful to those who may feel overwhelmed at the prospect of leaving home for therapeutic support. Your BetterHelp therapist can help you develop a plan for working through your mental health issues and getting back to the routine you desire and deserve.

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Experiencing depression?

The benefits of online therapy for managing depression symptoms

Online therapy may be an effective way to get the mental health support you need. Across a number of studies, online therapy has been found to be just as effective as in-person therapeutic interventions, and tends to be more affordable. For those struggling to manage their depression symptoms, attending from the comfort of home may be preferable.

Takeaway

Hygiene habits can be difficult to maintain due to the effects that depression can have on one’s mind and motivation. However, there are plenty of strategies to try if you’re looking to have a higher quality of life despite these possible effects. Schedule changes, accountability networks and peer support can all help one to master adapted hygiene routines if depression has disrupted what they had in place previously. Online therapy can also help—and has been shown to offer comparable benefit to in-person therapeutic methods. BetterHelp can connect you with an online therapist in your area of need.
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