A woman has gone viral for making daily showers a “challenge.” It may sound disgusting, but her transparency opened up discourse surrounding sensory struggles with bathing.
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Eve Tilley-Coulson, a 37-year-old from Tennessee, always hated showering. After a revelation, she embarked on a journey to frequently shower and documented it online. Many people with sensory objections came forth, finally finding a safe space to discuss the problem and solutions.
She spoke to PEOPLE about her experience.
While on a girl’s trip two years ago, a friend who showered three times a day (which is a little excessive) questioned Eve about her showering habits. Being confronted with her infrequent showering, Eve dived into why she is averse to the ritual that is a daily habit for many.
She blamed her lifelong attitude of not showering every day on her British dad. “The British are notorious for not really showering,” she laughed. As a Brit, please allow me to say that Eve’s dad is anomalous and we don’t all live like this.
Her parents and even her Montessori preschool emphasized that showering was optional, so that’s how she lived.
But she soon realized she needed to do something about her hygiene.
Eve Embarked On A Challenge To Fall In Love With Showering
Documenting her journey on TikTok, Eve explained to her followers the challenge she was starting.
Due to her sensory issues and mental health, she had always hated bathing. “That weird half-dry, half-wet feeling, being cold and hot at the same time — I hate it,” she said.
“I started thinking maybe my dislike of showering had to do with my on-and-off depression, maybe with some OCD tendencies,” she thought. “I didn’t just wake up one day and decide I hated showering — there are reasons.”
To make her fall in love with showering, she improved her experience with luxuries, like towel heaters, and additions, such as music. Reframing showering into a self-care activity rather than a chore was important.
And through her experimentation and dedication, daily cleaning has become a habit she looks forward to.
Her Challenge Opened Up A New Discourse
Many online resonated with her struggle. Those going through mental health struggles didn’t feel like they could open up about their aversion to showering. But having a space to talk about it allowed them to join Eve on her journey.
“One of the reasons people with mental health issues struggle with showering is because they’re alone with their thoughts,” she explains. “The silence can be triggering or derailing. So I thought, what if I make this a better space for myself?” she added.
“That outpouring — both the judgment and the solidarity — fascinated me,” she concluded. “It showed me how something as simple as showering can open up much bigger conversations. People assume there’s one ‘normal’ way of doing things. But for some of us, there are other layers. Even though it’s just showering, it’s not always that simple.”