17 Urinating on towels in her bedroom instead of restroom.

[Marti1970]

My daughter has been diagnosed as bipolar II. I am bipolar I. I have been finding urine soaked towels in her room. She hides them in the closet or under the bed. Sometimes she doesn't hide them at all. I asked her about it today. I wanted to know "why" she would do that when the bathroom is just next to her room. She said that she is not going to tell me why. Her hygiene is absolutely terrible. She refuses to use soap or deodorant. I am so frustrated. I need to know if it could be some part of the bipolar disorder I have never heard of? I have been diagnosed bipolar I for 10 years now. As I study my disorder I have never come across this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Would like to handle this in the best possible manner to help her.

Thank you

[Yoliravioli]

Hello. I'm not bipolar or even really familiar with its complications, but i can tell you that if she's a teen the thing about peeing in towels may be normal and not related with the disease. Peeing on things is for some girls a form of masturbation in which the girl feels aroused by having a full bladder, she then feels like rubbing her lower parts in a soft cloth, towel, whatever, between her legs and then feels satisfaction over letting the pee go and feel its warmth soaking. This is normal, the thing is that many girls just don't get to do it or hide it better. Masturbation is healthy and is part of the person's self discovery as a sexual being, but you should worry about her sloppiness though.

[lovingmychildern]

There could be many reasons for this. Is she afraid to go to the bathroom for any reason? I ask this because even though I am 26 years old I am still afraid of the dark. When I have to go to the bathroom at night I leave a night light on in the hallway and the bathroom. I even run to the bathroom and jump back in my bed like a little kid lol. Becoming afraid of the dark could happen at anytime and any age, being afraid of the dark is not just for kids. Another option is she maybe having problems using the bathroom and what I mean by this is when I was younger around 14 years old I had a problem using the bathroom. I am not sure why and the doctors could not find out at that time but later they found out that when I sat on the toliet my urine would get blocked off and for the life of me I can't remember what it was but I no longer have that problem. The only way I could get myself to urinate was by squating and I did that over towels. I was younger then and I no longer have any of these issues but I would suggest trying to talk to her calmly and find out if she maybe afraid of something and if she is then find away to over come that fear or make it easier on her. If she is not afraid of something or refuses to tell you why she is urinating on her towels then take her to her doctor to get a check up on her bladder. if they do not find any issues in that area then talking to a therapist would be the next best option.

[looloo141]

Hi, this must be very distressing for you... Personally I sat in wet pajamas a lot during my worst depressive episode ( lasting 2 years ) so it could be that she cannot be bothered to move or that she is just totally in shut down, like I was..it was what I would describe as catatonia!

Emotional problems and bed wetting, bladder problems, poor hygeine all go hand in hand..so it does seem pretty normal for someone wwith a BP diagnosis, we're not all the same and thats why some of us still look after our hygeine even during a deep dark depression..

This can't be nice for you or her so definitely take her back to the pdoc and see if there is anything that can be done about it..


Hugsxx

[stephenssusie10]

I know that when I was her age I had horrible hygiene, and it was a source of stress for my mother....she didn't like to sit next to me I smelt so bad. I can tell you that it was due to my depression and I just didn't have the energy or care to clean myself. I suggest that you take her to a pdoc to see if he/she can help out with this situation. I understand it is hard because you are scared that you will hurt your daughters feelings, and she might even through fits, but it can get better.

[yarrow]

A lot depends on her age, but if she is a minor, I'd certainly take her to a psychiatrist for further evaluation.  Whatever is bothering her, her problems with personal hygiene will make make it even more difficult to integrate with other kids, of if she is older, to get and hold a job.  Part of it just comes down to the practical stuff--how to get along in the world.  It sounds as though she needs help with that right now.