Are You Dependent On Your Medicine Cabinet? Does It Bother You? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Terminal Frost · 10-13-2006, 10:42 AM

Lately I’ve begun to develop a feeling of being dependent on the products that I use on my body every day. I don’t know why it bothers me, but I feel as if it is wrong that I should physically break down without access to the various lotions and chemicals that I keep in my bathroom. I don’t have any abnormal medical conditions and I don’t take any prescriptions. I am talking about simple things like my foaming face wash, moisturizer, moisturizing shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mouth wash, Chap Stick, contact lenses and cleaners, etc… If I were to go on a trip without bringing some of this stuff with me my face would eventually begin to break out, I would have bad breath, my hair would not look nice and my skin would not feel good. So what would happen if I found myself in the jungle? Would I eventually get over my conditions and adjust to the situation or does everyone who lives outside of modern society suffer from dry skin, dandruff, bad breath and pimples?

I used to use Listerine twice a day, religiously. One time I missed rinsing my mouth out and when I woke up my mouth felt terrible and I had two canker sores and really terrible breath. My tongue also looked like it had an unhealthy coating on it. I of course ran for the Listerine and after a few days I was cleared back up again. I thought this was crazy though, so I eventually weaned myself off of it and now I have a healthy mouth with only brushing and flossing.

The episode with the Listerine made me wonder if some of the other problems that I could potentially suffer from are only a result of the products that I use. Would I only have pimples if I stopped using my foaming face wash BECAUSE I use the foaming face wash? Would I only get dandruff if I stopped using a moisturizing shampoo BECAUSE I use a moisturizing shampoo? See what I’m getting at?

So how do you decide what products are right to use on your body. I am glad that I am off Listerine because I feel that the harsh chemicals rendered my mouth damaged and completely helpless to fight off its own infections. It upset the natural chemistry of my body to the point where bad things would happen if I didn’t get my daily dose. But obviously, I DO have to brush my teeth! So where, and HOW, do you draw the line? My diet is very good, I exercise regularly, I get plenty of sleep and I am happy. So what say you? Am I doing harm to my body by using certain products? How can I decide what is absolutely necessary? Is it worth it to wash my face with a natural face soap that doesn’t dry your skin out if it means that I will get a pimple every now and then? I live in New York City and if I didn’t wash my face every day it would probably fall off. I suppose it is a tradeoff that I must use unnatural chemicals to cleanse myself since I subject myself to so many unnatural chemicals every day living in a modern city.

Let me hear your thoughts!

Siege · 10-13-2006, 12:50 PM

I've always wondered what would happen if my sister didn't have any access to chapstick for a day.

That being said, I don't think i'm dependent on any of the things you said.

Mainly because, I don't really use any products aside from toothpaste, soap and shampoo etc. regularly.

Even those can be forgone for a little while in special circumstances.

Ch'i · 10-13-2006, 01:09 PM

I only take medication when absolutely necissary. If I have a cold or a headache (or any ache for that matter) I'll wait it out; the body knows how to deal with most of those things. I even avoid using antibacterial soap unless I specifically need it for washing bacteria away (i.e. cooking with meat/fish ect., cleaning a wound).

Jinn · 10-13-2006, 01:28 PM

Quote:

I only take medication when absolutely necissary. If I have a cold or a headache (or any ache for that matter) I'll wait it out; the body knows how to deal with most of those things.

Agree completely. I patently refuse to take Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin unless it is severely affecting my ability to be productive - a rare occasion. My body is far more effective at it, and I get maybe one headache a year - I would argue because I let my body learn how to treat it itself.

There is one thing that I'm unwilling to let my body figure out - it apparently never learned how to keep my face clean. I know that my acne only improves when I use salicytic acid and only gets worse when I stop.

Willravel · 10-13-2006, 01:32 PM

I'm dependant on my allergy meds and it is something that will always bother me. My body lacks the ability to deal with pollen or cats or spores, and I can't go through life in one big allerfy attack.

Sage · 10-13-2006, 06:08 PM

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

Tube in my purse, tube on my desk, tube next to the bed. Take that away and you're facing a REALLY irate woman.

Everything else... meh. I like having clean teeth, a clean face, and clean hair, but I've been hiking enough without facewash/shampoo/deoderant to know it's not a huge deal. As for the headache thing, yeah I take ibuprofin. I consider it to be a step up from dogwood pith (natural headache remedy). Everything else tho, I use homeopathic stuff (stop rolling your eyes Ustwo).

la petite moi · 10-14-2006, 05:40 AM

This is a very interesting thread, because I'm currently trying to kick an addiction to Rolaids. Yeah, sounds crazy, but I seriously get wild if I don't have the maximum dosage (or more) in a day. Also, I'm currently using twice the recommended dosage of Excedrin PM pills to go to sleep at night. I can't sleep without them- It's one of the reasons I'm up right now on a Saturday.

Carno · 10-14-2006, 08:32 AM

I'm not overly reliant on anything..I feel dirty when I haven't used soap or shampoo or toothepaste in a while, but it's not like I couldn't function without them if I needed to.

snowy · 10-14-2006, 10:57 AM

I only occasionally take an Aleve for back pain or a Tylenol for a headache if it's something I can't deal with via other means--stretches, lying down in a dark room, etc.

I take vitamins on a regular basis.

As for health and beauty products--my multitasker in the bathroom is Dove soap. I can use it for shaving, washing, washing my face, and even my hair in a pinch. As far as moisturizing goes, I like to use Nivea creme, and it works, like the Dove does, for everything. Those are the two products I would sorely miss. Give me Dove, Nivea creme, and a hair tie, and I'm good to go.

Gilda · 10-14-2006, 11:41 AM

On days that I wash it, I use four different products on my hair. I don't leave the house if I'm not wearing my makeup, and I keep touchup products in my purse for the remainder of the day. I take migrane medication and a diuretic when I get my monthly PMS and I'm currently taking medication to treat my social phobia and depression and a toenail fungus. I brush my teeth three times a day and floss at least once. I use deoderant/antiperspirant.

I also eat healthy, get 40 minutes of strenuous excercise and flexibility excercises a day.

Being clean, healthy, and presentable are important to me, so I do what I need to do to take care of my body and be able to present my best self to the world.

Am I dependant? Sure. I see nothing wrong with that, though. I'm dependant on a lot of things. Food, water, oxygen to keep me alive, my family for love and support, my job for money and fulfillment.

I see nothing wrong with using whatever reasonable means are available to me to help me be the person I want to be.

Gilda

Siege · 10-14-2006, 08:28 PM

Hmm, I just realized that I eat a lot of mints. It's not so much for the breath, as it is to keep me awake. Before I became immune to their mintiness, the pain used to keep me somewhat awake in class. I need to find stronger mints methinks..

stevie667 · 10-15-2006, 11:32 AM

I'm dependant (thanks to a diet currently high in milk based products which i refuse to change because they're tasty) at the moment on plenty of moisturiser, exfoliating scrub and talc to keep my skin under control. Without it i look like someones been at me with a nail gun.

I also don't go without brushing twice daily and mouthwash, but thats because i'm afraid of getting another filling.

As for my hair, a wash once a week and a little bit of wax are all i need to keep it tip top. That and a lawnmower...

Sultana · 10-16-2006, 07:21 AM

I guess it depends on how one defines as "unable to cope". I have a selection of products I use (always looking to minimize) daily. If I don't I'll have icky skin and hair. I use them to do what I can to present myself in a way I feel comfortable with to the rest of the world. And I have high standards. I wouldn't say I can't do without them, but there are certainly things I'd prefer not to have to go without.

I highly recommend a trip to Egypt to discover what you really can and cannot live without. Many would be suprised at the results.

I am not including medication in this list. If it's important enough for me to take it (prescription meds), then I don't consider it to be less than mandatory.

10-13-2006, 10:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
Terminal Frost Tilted Location: Manhattan Island	Are You Dependent On Your Medicine Cabinet? Does It Bother You? Lately I’ve begun to develop a feeling of being dependent on the products that I use on my body every day. I don’t know why it bothers me, but I feel as if it is wrong that I should physically break down without access to the various lotions and chemicals that I keep in my bathroom. I don’t have any abnormal medical conditions and I don’t take any prescriptions. I am talking about simple things like my foaming face wash, moisturizer, moisturizing shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mouth wash, Chap Stick, contact lenses and cleaners, etc… If I were to go on a trip without bringing some of this stuff with me my face would eventually begin to break out, I would have bad breath, my hair would not look nice and my skin would not feel good. So what would happen if I found myself in the jungle? Would I eventually get over my conditions and adjust to the situation or does everyone who lives outside of modern society suffer from dry skin, dandruff, bad breath and pimples? I used to use Listerine twice a day, religiously. One time I missed rinsing my mouth out and when I woke up my mouth felt terrible and I had two canker sores and really terrible breath. My tongue also looked like it had an unhealthy coating on it. I of course ran for the Listerine and after a few days I was cleared back up again. I thought this was crazy though, so I eventually weaned myself off of it and now I have a healthy mouth with only brushing and flossing. The episode with the Listerine made me wonder if some of the other problems that I could potentially suffer from are only a result of the products that I use. Would I only have pimples if I stopped using my foaming face wash BECAUSE I use the foaming face wash? Would I only get dandruff if I stopped using a moisturizing shampoo BECAUSE I use a moisturizing shampoo? See what I’m getting at? So how do you decide what products are right to use on your body. I am glad that I am off Listerine because I feel that the harsh chemicals rendered my mouth damaged and completely helpless to fight off its own infections. It upset the natural chemistry of my body to the point where bad things would happen if I didn’t get my daily dose. But obviously, I DO have to brush my teeth! So where, and HOW, do you draw the line? My diet is very good, I exercise regularly, I get plenty of sleep and I am happy. So what say you? Am I doing harm to my body by using certain products? How can I decide what is absolutely necessary? Is it worth it to wash my face with a natural face soap that doesn’t dry your skin out if it means that I will get a pimple every now and then? I live in New York City and if I didn’t wash my face every day it would probably fall off. I suppose it is a tradeoff that I must use unnatural chemicals to cleanse myself since I subject myself to so many unnatural chemicals every day living in a modern city. Let me hear your thoughts!

10-13-2006, 12:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Siege is a tiger Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada	I've always wondered what would happen if my sister didn't have any access to chapstick for a day. That being said, I don't think i'm dependent on any of the things you said. Mainly because, I don't really use any products aside from toothpaste, soap and shampoo etc. regularly. Even those can be forgone for a little while in special circumstances. __________________ "Your name's Geek? Do you know the origin of the term? A geek is someone who bites the heads off chickens at a circus. I would never let you suck my dick with a name like Geek" --Kevin Smith This part just makes my posts easier to find

10-13-2006, 06:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Sage hoarding all the big girl panties since 2005 Location: North side	Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm Tube in my purse, tube on my desk, tube next to the bed. Take that away and you're facing a REALLY irate woman. Everything else... meh. I like having clean teeth, a clean face, and clean hair, but I've been hiking enough without facewash/shampoo/deoderant to know it's not a huge deal. As for the headache thing, yeah I take ibuprofin. I consider it to be a step up from dogwood pith (natural headache remedy). Everything else tho, I use homeopathic stuff (stop rolling your eyes Ustwo). __________________ Sage knows our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's She answers hard acrostics, has a pretty taste for paradox She quotes in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus In conics she can floor peculiarities parabolous -C'hi

10-14-2006, 08:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	I'm not overly reliant on anything..I feel dirty when I haven't used soap or shampoo or toothepaste in a while, but it's not like I couldn't function without them if I needed to. __________________ http://how-to-spell-ridiculous.com/

10-14-2006, 10:57 AM	#9 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	I only occasionally take an Aleve for back pain or a Tylenol for a headache if it's something I can't deal with via other means--stretches, lying down in a dark room, etc. I take vitamins on a regular basis. As for health and beauty products--my multitasker in the bathroom is Dove soap. I can use it for shaving, washing, washing my face, and even my hair in a pinch. As far as moisturizing goes, I like to use Nivea creme, and it works, like the Dove does, for everything. Those are the two products I would sorely miss. Give me Dove, Nivea creme, and a hair tie, and I'm good to go. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

10-13-2006, 01:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ch'i Artist of Life	I only take medication when absolutely necissary. If I have a cold or a headache (or any ache for that matter) I'll wait it out; the body knows how to deal with most of those things. I even avoid using antibacterial soap unless I specifically need it for washing bacteria away (i.e. cooking with meat/fish ect., cleaning a wound).

10-13-2006, 01:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	I'm dependant on my allergy meds and it is something that will always bother me. My body lacks the ability to deal with pollen or cats or spores, and I can't go through life in one big allerfy attack.

10-14-2006, 05:40 AM	#7 (permalink)
la petite moi Filling the Void. Location: California	This is a very interesting thread, because I'm currently trying to kick an addiction to Rolaids. Yeah, sounds crazy, but I seriously get wild if I don't have the maximum dosage (or more) in a day. Also, I'm currently using twice the recommended dosage of Excedrin PM pills to go to sleep at night. I can't sleep without them- It's one of the reasons I'm up right now on a Saturday.

10-14-2006, 11:41 AM	#10 (permalink)
Gilda 32 flavors and then some Location: Out on a wire.	On days that I wash it, I use four different products on my hair. I don't leave the house if I'm not wearing my makeup, and I keep touchup products in my purse for the remainder of the day. I take migrane medication and a diuretic when I get my monthly PMS and I'm currently taking medication to treat my social phobia and depression and a toenail fungus. I brush my teeth three times a day and floss at least once. I use deoderant/antiperspirant. I also eat healthy, get 40 minutes of strenuous excercise and flexibility excercises a day. Being clean, healthy, and presentable are important to me, so I do what I need to do to take care of my body and be able to present my best self to the world. Am I dependant? Sure. I see nothing wrong with that, though. I'm dependant on a lot of things. Food, water, oxygen to keep me alive, my family for love and support, my job for money and fulfillment. I see nothing wrong with using whatever reasonable means are available to me to help me be the person I want to be. Gilda __________________ I'm against ending blackness. I believe that everyone has a right to be black, it's a choice, and I support that. ~Steven Colbert

10-14-2006, 08:28 PM	#11 (permalink)
Siege is a tiger Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Hmm, I just realized that I eat a lot of mints. It's not so much for the breath, as it is to keep me awake. Before I became immune to their mintiness, the pain used to keep me somewhat awake in class. I need to find stronger mints methinks.. __________________ "Your name's Geek? Do you know the origin of the term? A geek is someone who bites the heads off chickens at a circus. I would never let you suck my dick with a name like Geek" --Kevin Smith This part just makes my posts easier to find

10-15-2006, 11:32 AM	#12 (permalink)
stevie667 Too Awesome for Aardvarks Location: Angloland	I'm dependant (thanks to a diet currently high in milk based products which i refuse to change because they're tasty) at the moment on plenty of moisturiser, exfoliating scrub and talc to keep my skin under control. Without it i look like someones been at me with a nail gun. I also don't go without brushing twice daily and mouthwash, but thats because i'm afraid of getting another filling. As for my hair, a wash once a week and a little bit of wax are all i need to keep it tip top. That and a lawnmower... __________________ Office hours have changed. Please call during office hours for more information.

10-16-2006, 07:21 AM	#13 (permalink)
Sultana Falling Angel Location: L.A. L.A. land	I guess it depends on how one defines as "unable to cope". I have a selection of products I use (always looking to minimize) daily. If I don't I'll have icky skin and hair. I use them to do what I can to present myself in a way I feel comfortable with to the rest of the world. And I have high standards. I wouldn't say I can't do without them, but there are certainly things I'd prefer not to have to go without. I highly recommend a trip to Egypt to discover what you really can and cannot live without. Many would be suprised at the results. I am not including medication in this list. If it's important enough for me to take it (prescription meds), then I don't consider it to be less than mandatory. __________________ "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." - Matt Groening My goal? To fulfill my potential.