why do people not bathe?
 

I just cannot fathom y some people don't make any effort
to bathe and/or keep themselves clean. for instance a couple of
my neighbors reek. one liveson my floor, andeven riding the
elevator is unpleasant, as is walking down the hall, as his
body odor lingers. I just cannot wrap my head,around this!

But I agree with the OP, it can be annoying when people are ummm, i don't know how to word this, but you understand.

They merely wish to share the fruits of their sweaty labour with you.

Think of it as communism in action :thumbup:

hmm. I really never fathom.being remotely.intimate with my 70 year old neighbor
who regularly discuses his hallucinations with random neighbors
& has a huge pubic forest type beard on his face . nope, really doesn't do a thing for
me, but thanks for the suggestion!

That excuse might work for you :-p

Good to know. That's why all of the girls are all over me when I limp off the rugby pitch. :D

I've reported that ^ picture.

I've reported a lot of them too.

I shower every day normally but when I go through a depressive/negative symptoms period, I don't shower much as everything seems a gigantic effort and I have no energy. But I am ok now so am showering every day and washing my hair every other day.

OP, what do you mean by "I cannot wrap my head around this?" :/

Olympia, it means the OP is unable to 'get their head around it', in other words, the OP cannot understand why people don't bathe.

People with mental illnesses often struggle to find the motivation or energy to take care of themselves. Self-neglect is sometimes a symptom of schizophrenia, for example, which I am wondering if your neighbour may have if he hallucinates.

I am sorry that the smell is offensive. It isn't because of laziness though.

Thanks Laura.

When I don't have showers, it is not laziness *agrees with Laura*. I have mild OCD so normally I am very strict with my showering (sometimes I even shower twice a day), so you can probably imagine how low I get when I have negative symptoms to not have a shower.

Well at least then you know they will stay out of prison showers! :laugh:

It can be laziness but also lack of motivation when you're unwell.

As said people are old and cant manage in and out of the bath, people are ill and too weak to do so, people dont have time so skip a day or two ect, there are so many reasons really.

When I've gone days and I'll admit even weeks without bathing, It's usually associated with my depression. The last thing on my mind is "offending" people with my odour, then again, I seldom leave the house when I'm in that kind of state.

And also, OP, you shouldn't judge, you have no idea what your neighbours' situation is, don't be so ignorant.

That as well, if he is elderly and unwell and cant manage do you really expect him to jump in and out of the bath everyday just for you?

^ hyperhidrosis?

I agree with all the people posting about how some people find it hard to bathe.

I think being able mentally/physically to bathe, and choosing not to, is different to not being able to bathe due to mental or physical reasons.

Personally bathing has always been something that's never really been effected by my mental state, I bathe every single day, always have. Whereas I have spent long periods of time in bed, not spoken to anyone, not left my home etc when I've been quite mentally unwell but still managed to bathe. I guess it's weird sometimes what being mentally ill does to you, and how it effects you.

People smell because that's the way they're supposed to smell. Good hygiene is simply a personal preference.