Shower Anxiety?!?!?

We have a large Shower Cubicle, it is a bit over a double size and is generally wider than the standard size. When I go on holiday we generally stay in self catering and a single size cubicle can make me feel claustraphobic. 

I am disabled and need to be able to get handrails and a seat in  The shower is actually in part of what was a passageway, so it is quite wide. It consists of shower head  with six different sprays and also six further sprays, three on each side. That seems to help me manage taking showers. and been comfortable with it. We also have a Hydro Bath with a lift to get me in and out with air and water spar with chromo Lighting with all the handrails  for me to be able to move around. You could change the shower and change it with a good sized bath that would help your problems

Ps

What you could do is look into extending the shower unit if you have a bath in the bathroom, they do conversions bath to shower. We did a full conversion when the cottage was adapted and we purchased the gear ourselves and a plumber installed the new shower and bath unit

BOB

Panic attacks can happen anywhere at anytime. People sometimes have their first one while driving when they have always drove. I had my first one at home where I had lived for years. It just happens. Just my opinion but the key is to know it’s a panic attack. As uncomfortable as it is it won’t hurt you and exposure is the best for it. Keep taking a shower in that shower until you don’t fear it happening. Once the fear goes away so will the panic 😉 good luck!

I had to get a handrail put into our shower,and a seat IF I stood up i would get dizzy...then I would panic...somedays I am ok. other days, I cant shower. My GP says its the hot water on my head, and lots of people feel dizzy with this...and taking a lukewarm shower might help...xx

OMG once I developed panic disorder and health anxiety, I have major anxiety and panic attacks taking a shower or even thinking about taking a shower. I live in an apartment and my bathroom has no windows so that doesn't help at all. I chronically start breathing shallow and I get tense and light headed. I also start thinking about how high my blood pressure might be and have to hurry up and get out. Before all of this, I would love showers, spending maybe 30 minutes in there listening to music. Now I dread it. Sadly I sometimes go days without showering. I fear I might have a heart attack or stroke and not be able to get help. 

Hi there 

From my personal experience and what my psychaitrist has taught me, we basically programmed the incidence of my panic attacks. That’s a vicious cycle. Going to shower is the cue that makes you panic because you experienced pamic attack when going to a shower. You need to retract your brain about that. Have you seen a cognitive behavior therapist? CBT really helps 

I've been going through this recently, and now I've even got a little scared to shower, i come out quicker. but i don't know what to do.

My anxiety has always been moderate-normal.

I never really realized I had anxiety but I was diagnosed with it at a young age.

One day when I did something dumb, I smoked weed and got really anxious to the point that I was having a severe panic attack and thought I was having a heart attack from how bad my chest hurt.

I was in the shower at the time because that's how I always calmed down a really bad high.

I only ever used it for sleeping reasons.

After that I was okay for a while and then a month later I had another panic attack randomly.

I didn't know what it was at the time but it freaked me out.

Every time I got in the shower I would have a panic attack.

I stopped taking showers all together and began taking baths.

I bathed for months upon months and let me tell you that was not easy either, it still scared the heck out of me.

I had panic attacks in the bath too but you have to push through them.

Then from there I got a shower chair, I used it like once but it freaked me out still.

I started slowly but I surely got there.

I use the chair off and on now whenever I get a little scared but I'm able to take full showers on my own now.

The point is to take it slow, the shower was one of my weaknesses but I've overcome it.

It did take months so please don't expect fast results.

Just know that you can do this and it will eventually get better.

The shower chair was also recommended by my therapist and please don't think of it as a crutch.

It's there to help you feel more relaxed.

I also leave the door open when I shower and don't take too hot of showers because it will raise your heartbeat and that will freak you out even more.

Taking luke warm showers is better for you and your skin anyways.

I also leave the curtain a smidge open for better ventilation.

I try to do everything in my power to keep myself comfortable.

I hope these things work for you!!

hi there

google brought me here to this thread out of sheer desperation really to try and make sense of what I am going through, I had an out of the blue full on horrific panic attack in the shower 2 weeks ago and now i cannot get passed this I am so upset over it as showering has always been a pleasure I suffer with general anxiety disorder and I keep trying to get in and enjoy a nice relaxing shower(its an over bath one) but I find myself getting out as the terror kicks in every time 😢

Hello,

I have read your review and most of the replies.

I am sorry you're going through this, and it seems and appears distressing in fact I must say that this feeling struck me like lightning I would get panic attacks and since I have autism spectrum disorder I have started to notice that I used to be the most cleanest guy ever with good hygiene never had a problem with getting into the shower but for me this is a dreaded , depressing viscous cycle which is on my mind all the time. I start getting self-conscious around people worrying that they think I smell like s**t and stink and it makes me feel so much worse. I have felt this way for a long time but only noticed that my self conscious negative thoughts and feelings got worse as the months come on.

I get into the shower and sometimes get these negative thoughts in my head that wont go away honestly this is so depressing and people don't understand anxiety and autism so they assume that we are all making excuses. It's not that we dont want to shower cause sometimes I will stand in the shower (stand up shower with no seat) but will stand there like an idiot for 5 minuites sometimes and then force myself to shower and makes me feel worse and then i panic even as being an alcoholic I worry that I might pass out which never does and the GP doctors and what not have said that this is just anxiety and intrusive thoughts which is what my family have said.

When I get into the shower I get angry about things and get visual images in my mind that cause me distress that when I am half way in there I step out and wrap myself with a blue towel and sit on the corner of my bed nearly about to break down and cry at times this has caused me to feel suicidal as well I am not saying I will do it but I feel like this is a never ending viscious cycle that wont go away which is causing me a great deal of stress.

I am hoping that I can hopefully overcome this as at the moment I am feeling and smelling like bannanas and a pigsty. It's such a shame because I have always been the most cleanest person ever and this is now happening I dont understand.

sad thoughts happen to me when I am in the shower and I get really bad negative thoughts to like sometimes hear voices from people in my mind who have upset me and caused me distress. I get irritable?

Anxiety about getting into the shower is very normal.

I am a 63 year old woman suffering from PTSD for the last 30 years.

The shower is the most vulnerable place to be. You are naked and closing your eyes.

I never had a problem with showering prior.