Q&A for How to Combat Dysphoria While Bathing

You likely have gender dysphoria if you notice persistent discomfort with multiple aspects of your assigned gender (not limited to aspects that are due to sexism or limited gender roles within a culture or community).

If they ask why the lights are off, tell them it's more relaxing that way. If they ask why there's a towel on the mirror, tell them you don't feel like wiping off the foggy stuff after your shower.

Talk to your guidance counselor about the fact that you don't want to shower in school. They might find a suitable solution for you.

If it's so bad that you can't bring yourself to face the prospect of showering, you can avoid the worst of it by giving yourself a sponge bath . This isn't a long-term solution, however; if at all possible, you should seek out a gender-affirming therapist to help you learn to manage dysphoria.

Keep your hair long, and occasionally wear makeup, skirts, and dresses. Behave in a generally feminine way. Once possible, get out of the situation that forces you to hide your dysphoria so you can receive proper treatment.

Bathing with the lights switched off can be dangerous and isn't a very good idea but it can help people with dysphoria. Just make sure you know your bathroom well enough and get a mat for inside the bath to prevent slipping. Usually lights are located outside of the bathroom, so make sure someone in your house knows you are bathing with the light off so if need be, they can switch the lights on for you. Baths usually have handles so if you fear you might slip, hold onto them.

You can use some of the above methods. You can bathe in the dark (just make sure you have a non-slip mat), or you could have a bubble bath so you won't have to look at yourself.

A two-piece swimsuit is best, in my experience. You can get a rash guard (basically a T-shirt designed for swimming) for the top piece and boyshorts or board shorts for the bottom piece. Amazon has some good "women's" swim bottoms that look like men's swim trunks.