Why do I avoid taking care of my hygiene?

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I've been this way for as long as I can remember. I've always hated washing, that includes washing my hair, body, cleaning my teeth etc. I just seem to avoid it or put it off for as long as I can but I'm not sure why I do it.

My dad used to say that if he and my mother didn't force me to wash then I would go a really long time without washing. I've actually gone months before, which I know to most people is probably really disgusting. I would wash my hair if I had to leave the house but even that was tiring (or something). I'm lucky in that I have very little to no body odour (thankfully) so I can get away with not showering for longer than a guy can or a person who's prone to developing B.O, but still I'd really like to know why I avoid it as much as I do. I really can't figure it out. I know that it makes me feel negative feelings but I can't decode any deeper than that.

Anyone else similar?

It is hard to know the cause because there may be several at play.

Some Aspies experience sensory overload. The mere feel of water coming from a shower head striking their bodies sets their senses in overdrive.

Other Aspies experience short term memory problems. They forget the steps needed to take a shower and therefore often their 5 minute shower drags on for 30 minutes or more because they are sidetracked or forgetful.

Then again another reason is that your body may be telling you something. We live in a fairly antiseptic world. We have immune systems but in order to keep our immune systems healthy we must constantly use our immune systems. We must be exposed to bacteria, virus, fungi in order to keep our immune system in tip top shape so that it can effectively deal with the most destructive forms of these threats. So exposing ourselves to dirt and grim has a benefit.

Dirt and grim also fills a more primitive role. One time I went on a long extended outdoor hike. After a day or two, a grim began to build up on my skin. It was something that you couldn't just wash off with water. It took soap to remove it. Prior to this grim build up I was attacked by insect but after the grim built up the insects stopped attacking me. It was a natural protection against many forms of insects.

Our natural scents may also offer some protection in the animal world by masking our scents and making us somewhat invisible.

I love taking baths but I hate washing my hair. It takes me a lot of forced motivation to do it. I use dry shampoo sometimes but you can't use it every day. My hair tends to go greasy rather quick and I know that if I had my way I would only wash it once a week, if that, and I would just tie it up to make it feel less greasy to me. But having greasy hair isn't very attractive and I do get self-conscious, because if I go out with greasy hair (even if it's slightly greasy) I feel like everybody's staring at me, and I don't want to be judged like that.

I find brushing my teeth kind of depressing, I have no idea why.

I used to not care about washing.

As I got older, I realize that a five-minute shower often revives me in many ways.

It makes me feel better when I have a cold.

It takes the sting out of my eyes.

It makes my hair less oily.

It just makes me feel better.

It's a chore rather than a preferred routine.
Getting into a shower means stepping into a totally different environment. Getting out is the same thing. Then there's standing there wet and naked having to trowel off. I'd rather skip all that.

Some articles claim that daily showering is bad for skin

If you don't know why you do something, strangers on the internet do not know either

Strangers on the internet are not telepathic

It could be subconscious

But anything could be subconscious

I have issues with this too. In my case, I think it's a combination of sensory issues (hate getting wet, the feeling of water pounding on me (but I never feel quite clean after a bath, like I still have soap residue or something on me), the coldness of getting out) and lack of motivation (I'm another who can go a long time using only deodorant and not get stinky, although my hair starts looking greasy after a few days). Showering is just a hassle to me.