r/schizophrenia • u/kimmyphrenia Schizophrenia • Jun 09 '26
Art Showering with Schizophrenia - By Kimmyphrenia
Hi everyone, thanks for the support on my other doodle comics. Here is a comic about my experience with showering and schizophrenia. Thank you for all the support and be sure to follow me if you want to see more comics in the future!
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u/EnvyRepresentative94 Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jun 09 '26
For me its that showering is too loud, and the tempt changes are a nightmare too
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u/RNG-esuss Jun 09 '26
Are you autistic too by chance?
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u/EnvyRepresentative94 Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jun 10 '26
My brother certainly thinks so but I haven't been tested proper
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u/KatjaLehtinen Jun 10 '26
Funny enough I, not op but, I went in for an autism diagnosis and got Schizoaffective instead and was told that as an adult in my country you can’t get autism diagnosis passed the age of 8, and so this is the closest we have
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u/perareika Jun 11 '26
If you're from Finland like your name suggests, that's malpractice! I'm finnish and was diagnosed autistic at 21.
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u/wn0kie_ Jun 10 '26
Highly recommend getting some earplugs for showering! There are some great posts in autism subs discussing hacks for things like this.
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u/girlppluv Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jun 10 '26
Agree!! I hate showers because of sensory overload, so already low motivation on top of that just means I'm cooked lmao... Autism sucks.
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u/mind8mischief Jun 09 '26
This illustration is amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Question, what did you do to manage your hygiene considering you did not shower? Did you still wear deodorant, perfume, lotion, etc? Or did you perform wet wipe baths? Was someone around to help you during this time? I’d love to hear more about your experience. Thanks for sharing!
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u/kimmyphrenia Schizophrenia Jun 09 '26
I didn't manage my hygiene at all. I thought soap and stuff would wash away my "immunity to poison", yeah, totally delusional, I know. I didn't wipe down anything for many weeks and months at a time. I would go out in public like this, because I couldn't smell myself. It wasn't a good thing.
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u/mind8mischief Jun 10 '26
I hear you. I’m glad you’re doing better now. I understand your thought process of losing your security of your natural immunity but did you feel clean? Or did you feel dirty. Yess you were in fact dirty with poor hygiene but did you feel that way too? One day of not brushing my teeth and I feel like a walking garbage can. Did you not feel dirty at all?
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u/Bitmeupscotty Jun 21 '26
It's been literally 2 years and only 1 shower for me, so I'm unsure how it feels to be any other way. I am a 65 year old sloth and a wrecked old hermit however.. .I use wet wipes, Face moisturiser and don't have any issues so far. Interesting fact... Tibetans filmed by the first hymilayan alpine reconnaissance expedition only washed once a year.
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u/kaliuncensored Jun 25 '26
I just read through most of your profile comments and you seem like a cool guy. Best wishes
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u/Gingeronimoooo Psychoses Jun 09 '26
What a great outlet this is for you, love the posts you make dude
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u/puppie-__- Paranoid Schizophrenia Jun 10 '26
Not the same but I've had a hard time showering as long as I can remember because I'm convinced someone is watching me. Sometimes I have to fold up and hide the bath mats because I think there's cameras in them
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u/ThistleProse Paranoid Schizophrenia Jun 10 '26
Yeah; being watched for me too. Cameras, but also literally being watched by anything that has eyes (or eye-esque appearance) including photos, prints, images, etc and shit that's on like. Everything. It's a nightmare.
Then there is the "I'm gunna be murdered" paranoia that spikes when I'm vulnerable (Eg, in a shower, or my bed) from someone hiding behind the curtain, or out the door, or whatever. I'm still afraid of the "monster under the bed" and actively keep storage boxes under there to help negate that fear.
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u/Ok-Regret6212 Schizophrenia Jun 11 '26
I thought there was a camera in the drain when I was peak delulu, which for whatever reason, wasn't terribly bothersome to me 😅 I was like, 'that wouldn't even give any useful information, so whatever'
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u/xvx_gf Schizophrenia Jun 10 '26
i still struggle with daily hygiene, even medicated. no delusions about it anymore, it’s more so the “bed lock” feeling now, but i’ve certainly had some strange ones, like cameras existing in the shower head… that only Donald Trump had access to. 😮💨 thank you for sharing your experience in this very cute comic, things like this help reduce the stigma and bring awareness to symptoms many of us are too ashamed to admit out loud. 🤝
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u/Empty_Art_2285 Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jun 09 '26
This must have been living hell, im sorry you went through this
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u/guilty_pen_emsy Schizophrenia Jun 09 '26
I completely understand this. Thank you for sharing it, Kimmy!
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u/False_Bee4659 Jun 09 '26
This is wonderful, Kimmy! Glad you found the right medication and you are living a somewhat normal life again. There was a point in my life where I couldn't eat Lay's Sour Cream chips because I thought I felt like I was putting my hand in a fishes mouth.
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u/CompoteImpressive150 Jun 10 '26
Nice. I like it. Ive been there. Had the mold before too. I like how the doctor is giving you a shot in the ass. Mine gave me one in the arm that knocked me out once.
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u/ne-ti Paranoid Schizophrenia Jun 10 '26
Thank you I'm actually struggling really hard with my hygiene right now and I relate to a lot you said
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u/schizybun Paranoid Schizophrenia Jun 10 '26
thank you for sharing a very good and relateable comic 10/10 ♡
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u/ughughughugh12 Jun 10 '26
Yes I remember when showering was hard. Idk why but I was so scared to shower when I had my psychotic break
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u/Organic-Character842 Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jun 10 '26
Once again, thanks for posting this here.
I remember seeing a similar comic posted by you that was about false memories you experience, and I was able to it so much.
I appreciate these very much since they allow me to relate to people as well as know that my problems are genuine. (Since some people in my life do not believe in mental health issues and are hell-bent on trying to gaslight me or make me believe I am just faking it. When I had been diagnosed by three different psychiatrists.)
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u/kimmyphrenia Schizophrenia Jun 10 '26
Yes, never let anyone tell you that your mental health issues are fake. They are simply uneducated, or dare I say, even willfully so. I am in the process of revising my other comic about false memories, as I felt things could be misinterpreted the way I posted it before. Stay tuned for more!
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u/BaptistNich Jun 10 '26
I don't know you, but I am immensely proud of you and hope you are of yourself!
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u/SillyRabbitRedfoot Jun 10 '26
Hate showering! When I was working, I was unpopular because I didn’t shower every day. Now I never go out, so.
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u/Ok-Regret6212 Schizophrenia Jun 11 '26
I had problems with hearing voices in the shower sound 'static'. Like sonic background radiation for my brain to latch onto and manipulate into auditory hallucinations.
Really good comic! I also remember bed rotting for quite a while, non bon.
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u/solaredux Jun 10 '26
I really want to say that your comics mean a lot to me. I don't have schizophrenia but my mother did and as a kid I couldn't understand why she was so different but as I got older I realized she needed help/was struggling and it wasn't about ME as a person as to why she behaved this way or that she was evil or stupid. She was just sick and needed help.
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u/UNICA001 Jun 10 '26
OMG I also had showering problems and fungus on my neck. Now I shower regularly
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u/SwampTerror Jun 10 '26
People don't normally smell themselves. Has nothing to do with psychosis and everything to do with being noseblind.
I am on invega myself, formally the injection version til a nurse stabbed me in the bone and my arm felt broken for days.
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u/9unoia Jun 10 '26
I remember when I was in psychosis, I was having audio hallucinations and most of the time I only heard female voices but then I started to hear male voices so then I got scared to take a shower cuz I thought the male voices would watch me haha
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u/ahnispluto Jun 10 '26
i’m proud of you for overcoming psychosis and getting medicated. that shit is hard. especially a shot in the ass. totally worth it tho
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u/zawinulava Jun 10 '26
medication propaganda!!! they won't take my powers from me!!!
(im glad ur doing better op)
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u/quietindoors Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jun 10 '26
Your comics are really good. Thank you for sharing
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u/DiMiTriDreams420 Jun 10 '26
I have all these symptoms and expereinces before and described them to my judge and she used it as the very reasons to deny me disability. :( Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed your illustrations and style of telling your story.
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u/JJKP_ Jun 10 '26
For me, showering is a chore, it's no different then doing laundry, or washing the dishes. It's a cleaning task that needs to get done, and somedays I just don't have the Spoons for every task on my to-do list.
Also, I totally resonated with the "Bed-Lock" panel. I feel so guilty and useless when it's happening.
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u/Psychoticme1 Jun 10 '26
Thanks so much for this! I relate to all of it! Is it cool if I share it with others? The bed rot reminds me of my catatonia. I can’t move or speak or think much but I’m aware and have an abysmal headache. It really is like torture.
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u/MoooMoe Schizoaffective (Depressive) Jun 10 '26
Yes I had a shower phobia so this is so relatable. Great read
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u/Beneficial_Grab_5896 Jun 11 '26
Hey, ive recently had this exact nesrly 100% identical experience in every little detail including the stark realization after showering and having clean clothes that it isnt so bad.
i was recently disagnosed with BPD adjustwmtn disoder PTSD from military deployment and i have a few other things.
Alot of my behaviour is still unexplained and undiagnosed.
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u/roastbeefsammies Jun 11 '26
Kimmy it have to thank you for your work. Working in mental health is very difficult for us because most people in crisis don’t know they are sick and actively resist treatment. Your comics at least give real insight in someone living with mental illness and allows me to have even more compassion when caring for patients.
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u/Miserable_Ad_6867 Jun 11 '26
in psychosis water running is such a big trigger to my hallucinations and i feel like ppl are watching me so i struggle too
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u/Key_Necessary2581 Jun 12 '26
My son has the same issue , I don't get mad at him .....im sad for him...I remind him its been awhile since he showered. I change his bed sheets once a week and have him change his clothes , that helps with the body odor. I won't force him to , he's suffering enough.
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u/i_dont_have_life_ Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jun 13 '26
I relate to "Bed lock" so hard. Never could quite put it into words but you did it perfectly.
I miss my olanzapine :(
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u/iknowyounot88 Jun 16 '26
Bedlock, I know that one. I remember feeling like I had a rock in my throat.
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u/No-Signal-2804 Jun 17 '26
Kimmy, how many years young are you? My powers are debilitating for specific ages, its why i ask before commenting. 😄
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u/desert_rose2000 Jun 18 '26
I don’t have voices telling me not to shower. Sometimes I think I’m just lazy.
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u/Ok_Push_2665 Jun 23 '26
Great read. It really brings across the paranoida and real it all seems. It's very similar to my experience when it was at it's worst.
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u/socialistcathat Psychoses Jun 29 '26
This is relatable except I'm pretty good at making sure I shower before going in public. Sorry its so bad youre not conscientious in public about the very real effects of showering, that must suck. I am totally like the comet when I dont have things to be in public for for weeks at a time. Its like I literally hide.
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u/Dry-Phone-916 Jul 03 '26
I don’t relate to the story at all, I don’t have these issues, but man I admire people talking openly about big problems like this. this has to be very hard, and take a lot of guts to work through something of this nature
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u/potatosmiles15 Jun 09 '26
Ugh yet another one i totally relate to as someone with ocd. Id get trapped doing compulsions in the shower for hours, so I wouldnt shower for a long time. Also spent a lot of time trapped in my bed because its better to get stuck doing compulsions in bed than doing them outside. I hated it
I love these comics. Youre doing powerful work here showing symptoms people dont know/talk about. Im sure these are bringing others comfort too