An adult woman refuses to bathe. Is she psychologically ill?

Answer 1

Extention of question:

She probably isn't ill; she is so large that she really can't smell herself. It's hard to smell yourself if you are very large. A suggestion would be to give her a healthy gift basket with things she could use to make herself smell beautiful. She' probably appreciate the gesture from you.

Thanks for responding: She is 5'2 weighs 250. She has been told by many people, but she looks blankly when you mention it , says she will bathe and still doesn't. Like a child she just won't bathe. She is an amiable, sweet woman . Dr's tell her , friends , family, employers. In fact I believe she has lost 3 of her last jobs because of it. I need to know . Please what's her problem ?

Answers:

Let me explain further here about this woman. Trust me, I and others have given her bath baskets, hints, blunts, and repeated requests to bathe. I've known this woman for 20 years, and I have seen her leave the bathroom with just her hair damp. My daughter saw her just wet it with her hands, then came out and told me she took a bath. She pours on the perfume like its bath water. And her breath, don't get me started on her breath ;/ . Please this is not a frivolous question. She has got to have psychological disorder but what can it be. A phobia against going into water?

You need to educate yourself on obesity first. You are labeling this woman a hygienic slob! She is not! Obese people are very depressed and she certainly is. They KNOW they are obese and the don't know where to start. Carrying around that type of weight is also exhausting. Between the depression and lethargy because of her weight the lot of you should sit down and talk to her and get her to a doctor, get her to a place like 'Weight Watchers' and at least one of you go along as her supporter.

A person who is obese is afraid they will fall in the tub. To lay in the tub and try to get up is exhausting for them and even standing under a shower their body temperature is different from ours and they simply don't like the feeling.

Get this lady to a doctor for a complete physical, then counseling and onto 'Weight Watchers'. This lady has simply given up and who could blame her. Not ALL people who are obese are this way from over-eating and it could be her thyroid gland or adrenal gland (thus a good physical.) Once you help her with her weight the rest will fall into place and when she's down to a decent size I doubt you'll see her with bad bathing habits.

When in doubt put yourself in her shoes. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out her main problem is her weight.

I would also suggest you go onto www.Google.com and ask questions regarding obese people so you have a better understanding of their problems. I know a man that is 450 lbs., and he has a thyroid problem. Unfortunately, because of his size he lost his job, then his wife left him and he has but only his two dogs to keep him company. I met him when I was walking my own dogs (he was sitting on a bench) and he was teary-eyed as he told me his story and thanked me for simply giving him the time of day. I could tell by the shape of his body that it wasn't all fat and that there had to be something physically wrong with him. He was scheduled for a gastric bypass. Of course the man was depressed! Who wouldn't be?

I believe that the above answer is totally incorrect. There is a psychological condition around refusing to bathe. I know a doctor who refuses to bathe regardless of how many people tell him that he needs to. And he is not obese.

When I confront him about it, he has several ways to Dodge the questions. He sounds like an alcoholic who's being confronted about drinking. His typical responses are that it is vanity to concern yourself with smelling good, and that a person's true value is more related to their ideas not their physical appearance.

I believe the core of the disease has to do with self denial. He is a very unselfish person. He's dedicated his life to helping others, but doesn't do much to help himself. He feels that it is noble to sacrifice for others. However, when the people he loves request that he bathe, it is "out of bounds." In fact, his wife divorced him largely because he refused to bathe.