Fear of showering.. (anxiety disorder)?!


Question: Fear of showering!.!. (anxiety disorder)!?
I need your help especially if you have experienced this before!. I have horrible anxiety and I am now pregnant where I can't take my meds!. I have a horrible fear of showering and bathing, i freeze up and then get scared that I will have temporary paralysis in the shower!. By the time I get out my head feels empty and I'm shakin so bad I can't stand up hardly!. I have this fear because this is where I get all of my anxiety attacks!.!. Obviously being pregnant I need to shower, and I do attempt to every other day or every few days (gross I know) but I don't know how to get over it!. I have an iHome in the bathroom so I listen to music but I feel lightheaded and dizzy when I step in there!.!. Please help!. Sometimes I bathe myself with a washcloth, soap and wash my hair in the sink!.!. which is more work than just stepping into the shower!. Any ideas!?Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
More people share this exact fear and behavior than others know or have ever heard about!. You are not weird or alone in your distress but need some advice on handling it better!. My best friend suffers this same problem although not constantly!. It will be dormant for long periods than come back!. He has severe anxiety/depression and when he is off his meds it definitely torments him!. He said, "I try to make the bathroom as warm and comfortable first and fill the bath to psych up!. When I remove all my clothes and get under the showerhead and have the hot water rushing down my skin, suddenly I feel like the loneliest man in the world and I suddenly feel cold and can only endure a very quick soaping and rinse!." I know for a fact this is exactly what he does and feels for I live with him and he was very embarrassed about it!. I told him that water is a stimulus in many different ways to different people and produced different emotions in me too!. Here is what we came up with as a way to ease his discomfort: don't linger in the bathroom long trying to "psyche" up for taking a shower, just long enough to brush his teeth and get the room warm!. Remove his clothes except for his t-shirt and shorts (no socks)!. Have the showerhead on already and slowly step under the stream with his underwear on and proceed to wash his hair, soap up his body, rinse and eventually remove the underwear to finish washing his body and have the towel where he can quickly wrap it on when he shuts off the water!. He said that keeping on his t-shirt and shorts initially gives him a feeling of not being so vunerable and exposed and being pelted with the water immediately keeps the anxiety level at a reasonable level!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

I know exactly what you are talking about, I am on meds so it doesn't happen to me now but before it did!. I have extreme anxiety and panic disorder and at times I would hate taking a shower!. I think it has something to do with sensory overload like the loud noise, the water temp, the water hitting your body, and on top of that your naked!. People with our problem I think have very primitive senses and it shows at times like this!. You are not weird like that other person says you just have anxiety and plenty of people feel the same way you do!. I can't imagine being pregnant and feeling that way, are you in therapy!? That's probably you best option at this point!. Good luck, you are not alone!Www@Answer-Health@Com

YOUR NOT WEIRD THERES NATURAL THING THAT CAN CALM YOU NERVES UNTIL U CAN TAKE UR MEDS

LIKE LAVENDER CHAMOMILE SLEEPY TIME
CALMING MUSIC GREEN TEA Www@Answer-Health@Com

your weird!. i would go get checked out by a doctor and not asking yahoo!Www@Answer-Health@Com

ok well im not a girl r pregnant BUT i have the same prob as u do w my showers ur mind is focusing on WAY to many things @ once and the music doesnt help that will actually make u more dizzy i suggest taking a bath and getting situated BEFORE you turn on your music,and as 4 getting over the dizzy and the fear,try getting ur mind off of it and putting it on something happy like the baby you have on the way just imagine being able to hold it 4 the 1st time taking he/she to the park and take your shower just keep your head in happy places where the shower or bath is the last thing on your mind and itll be over b4 u kno it;}i hope i helpd sum i kno how hard this can be!.!.!.!.!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

Bless your heart, you just have to do it afraid!. Every time you do it, trying not to freak out, stay calm for baby sake-reward yourself-take a few dollars and put it in a jar, and when you've saved up enough-go spoil yourself!.

Consider, self talk, like saying what is the worst that can happen and then realize and talk about the truth of the matter!. Write down your experience and write all the positive truth!. Write down your initial fear-then what the truth was and how you overcame it!.

Use this all as a way to deal with the new baby coming,, like a challenge that you can deal with-others may see it the same as climbing a mountain!. Hey, this is nothing compared to raising a child!.

Maybe consider a shower chair!.!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





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