This is why my advice to depressed people who are struggling with hygiene is always BRUSH YOUR TEETH.
Not showering has plenty of short term consequences, but no long term ones. No matter how long it’s been since you’ve last showered, getting back into showering will fix most of those issues.
If you don’t have the energy to groom your hair, the absolute worst case scenario is that your hair will get so matted that you’ll have to shave it off. Nbd, it’ll grow back.
If you don’t have the energy to do dishes, take out the trash, clean your toilet, etc. Just like with showering, the short term consequences are abundant but the long term consequences are practically non existent. Worst case scenario is you have to throw out dishes because mold grew on them.
But there ARE long term consequences to neglecting your oral hygiene. And they can’t be fixed quickly and cheaply. And just getting back into brushing won’t fix it.
When I was at my worst- when I was letting dishes pile up in the sink, when I was sleeping on a pile of clothes because I put them on the bed to fold them and then lost the energy to do so, when I only managed to shower regularly because I sat down in the shower and usually didn’t do anything but half heartedly clean my armpits + any fresh self harm wounds and cry- when I was at that point, I made sure to still brush my teeth twice a day. If I woke up and knew that I had less energy than usual, I’d do nothing JUST to make sure I had enough energy to brush my teeth. And I’m so glad for that now. Depression took a lot from me, but I was luckier than OP because I managed to maintain my oral hygiene.
I don’t want anyone to feel bad for not being able to manage it. I just hope that understanding the consequences will help people prioritize their limited energy and provide motivation that’s not derived from shame.
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