Excessive cleanliness is a disease. Obsession with cleanliness and cleaning

There is nothing more unhygienic than life.
Thomas Mann

Do you clean the house several times a day? Do people around you tell you about this or were you lucky to notice it yourself? You wash your hands almost after "everything" and very thoroughly, although not visible to a large extent their pollution? Do you have an urgent desire to clean up outside the home? Unfortunately, there is no need to talk about simple love for cleanliness here.

What does "neurosis of purity" mean?

Neurosis of purity- quite a fresh definition for ordinary person and moreover, not particularly clear and difficult to diagnose. General basis neurosis is the insolubility of some kind of conflict situation or feeling, with incorrect attempts to resolve them.

Psychologists believe that the theoretical edge of the transition of the desire to restore order in n euros purity, is determined by causing this behavior of anxiety to yourself and others. Cleaning is not for the sake of cleaning, washing your hands is not for the sake of cleansing them - this does not bring pleasure, like the usual cleanliness. That is, a person, in fact, does not have an objective reason to restore this order, the opportunity to receive everyday “benefit” from the result, because everything was clean before that, and does not realize this fact in time.

Another of the “painful” manifestations can be considered as cleaning at an inconvenient time for this with very thorough efforts and fanatical emotions (for example, starting to wash out a new object 3 minutes before the arrival of guests). An unreasonably long duration of cleaning without the ability to stop is also a syndrome of neurosis, an obsessive state.

Cleaning, washing hands and excessive bathing without pleasure, as a rule, speak of personal problems and an exaggerated desire to be perfect. Washing hands is sometimes given the meaning of the desire to erase traces from someone or from some kind of problematic relationship. Often, prolonged bathing and washing of hands occur in people as a result of unresolved feelings about a betrayal of a partner.

Aggressive feelings arising from the inability to express emotions about a problematic situation or the belief that there is no one to discuss them with also lead to this "output" in emergency cleaning. Unexpressed aggression towards other people is also connected to all this.
The desire to "protect" oneself from "bad" thoughts often takes place at the beginning of such "cleaning", "washing" everything around and oneself.

A manifestation of such a neurosis can also be a desire (rather an action) at the time of the conflict itself, a quarrel to rearrange something or start cleaning up some things (even speaking out for the mess to the other side of the conflict). Such cleaning, as it were, allows you to remove the first wave of stress and demonstrates the desire to gain control over the situation. More often this manifestation is typical for women.

An overly vigilant attitude to finding all objects “in their place”, an exaggerated desire to structure everything is also a “bell” of neurosis. The house is sometimes called the "second body". And the desire to put things in order in the house is a vivid reflection of the desire to put in order your inner world. For such people, moving can be a real disaster with the inevitable domestic chaos, leading to an increase in internal chaos.

Men can also be characterized by a similar neurosis. Only its manifestation is somewhat different. For example, due to the inability to survive anger, humiliation (for example, due to a conflict at work due to the impossibility of holding a high position) at home, a husband can rudely and constantly demand unreal cleanliness and order from his wife.

In the neurosis of purity, problems of sexuality and manifestations of love can also appear. A person who is wounded and ashamed, his imperfection in this area, with his hyper-purity wants to earn the title of "the best" and a declaration of love, at least at the expense of his master's qualities.

People with cleanliness neurosis tend to think about cleaning outside of the home. When they visit less scrupulous hosts in this regard, they begin to get wildly annoyed because of the “dirty” house and mess, unwashed plastic windows or tiles. But in fact, the reason is that the thought “about the non-compliance of these people” with the norms arises. this person. If the owners are not worried about this, then this is a neurotic problem, which results in serious discomfort. And if a person did not dare to say that this situation was unpleasant for him, then the next step would be a very thorough hand washing and another “unscheduled” cleaning of the house.

Manifestation purity neurosis will be the stronger, the stronger the stress of a person, the more acutely he experiences this conflict.

Those who are nearby also suffer in their own way in this situation. Not only can this behavior cause them anxiety, but they may also think that a person considers their presence superfluous. After all, normal communication is impossible during constant cleaning.

Neurosis of purity may be only a partial manifestation of mental "malfunctions". But it should not be confused with the usual maintenance of cleanliness, the desire to establish one's boundaries, to save one's space by keeping the place of one's things.

Who is more prone to purity neurosis?

We found out that purity neurosis may apply to both women and men. Let's designate some more detailed signs "attracting" a neurosis of cleanliness.

Psychologists distinguish personality traits conducive to the appearance of this type of neurosis. Among them: low self-esteem, insecurity, susceptibility to evaluativeness (especially, it manifests itself as a way to relieve stress before the arrival of certain or a large number guests), the desire to be perfect and ideal, etc. All this can be connected to the presence of stereotypes created back in childhood. And, of course, external stresses will affect the manifestation of neurosis.

A certain part of pedantic people can come to a state of purity neurosis.
People with obsessive thoughts and the desire to displace them, setting rigid framework themselves and those around them are top of the list.

It is believed that those who are prone to avid collecting fall into the same list.

Who is not at risk? Psychologists say that these are people who are able to play life and perceive themselves, all those around them with all their advantages and disadvantages.

Does cleaning solve the problem?

Of course, frequent physical actions, their repeated repetition to some extent creates a feeling of emotional relief, but for the psyche this is a somewhat unfavorable release of experiences. Physical activity it is only able to bring down a little a painful series of emotional experiences, to break mental activity. But this also makes it impossible to see adequately what is the reason for this “cleaning”. It is also, as it were, an independent decision without the participation of other parties to the conflict, the desire to master conflict situation on one's own.

Cleaning becomes a kind of illusion of self-protection, but this is not a solution to the problem, but a reason to seek help (depending on the severity of the condition: either to relatives or to a specialist).

But, unfortunately, cleaning does not have the ability to relieve stress. On the contrary, such behavior can lead to the habit of repeating all this at any next stressful state.

Only partial relief can be brought by this activity at first, but not for long. After all, the problem itself is not resolved.

Not only that, a perfectly tidy room can sharpen stressful condition(for example, with the problem of loneliness, people feel it even more, seeing that there is no one to break the order). And then everything rolls again with greater force.

If there are relatives at home, then their praise for cleaning can be a reward if a person lacks the manifestation of their attention.

If this backlash or a rude remark about the frequency of cleaning, it is unlikely to help the neurotic. It is better to try to distract the person, walk with him somewhere, or do the cleaning together and very delicately ask if something is bothering him.

Of course, in the phrase "neurosis of purity" the main thing is not cleanliness at all. This is a huge litmus test for the need to love yourself and the whole the world the way he is. Love makes it easier to look at any shortcomings and make general cleaning" in the shower.

Natalia Mazhirina
Center "ABC for parents"

Every day a lot of dust and dirt accumulates in the house. Many do not care much, and they clean literally once a week. At the same time, they sleep peacefully, and they can leave the house, leaving the dishes in the sink. But there are also those who are horrified by a crookedly hung towel, not to mention moved cups or little speck on the table. Most often, this behavior is not associated with a mental disorder. But sometimes pathological cleanliness can mean real problem with health, or even call her.

What does the desire for cleanliness mean?

If the stain causes an obsessive desire to wipe it right away, and the cleaning process takes all day, not because the house is dirty, but because you want to clean it, then these are most likely signs of OCD - obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this case, a person suffers from compulsions - obsessive drives that arise contrary to reason, will and feelings. Obsessional rituals of the patient are manifested in the repetition of certain meaningless acts (for example, washing hands 20 times a day, or constantly wiping the same place on the table because there was a stain before). These actions are associated with obsessive thoughts that arise against the will and encourage a person to act. For example, someone who washes their hands is trying to avoid infection.

OCD also includes obsessions pollution - mysophobia. The fear of pollution haunts such people constantly, they are afraid that harmful and poisonous substances will penetrate into their body and they will die (germaphobia). Often the fear of pollution is only limited, manifesting itself only in some minor compulsions, such as frequent change laundry or daily mopping. This kind of behavior is evaluated by others only as habits, and they are not destructive in a person's life.

In particularly severe cases, OCD can trigger the development of other phobias, such as the fear of crowds in public places, fear of heights, water and other fears.

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Types of cleaners

Cleaners are different. From OCD sufferers who, like Nicolas Cage's character in The Great Scam, won't let you walk on the carpet with your shoes on and scrub your apartment into a frenzy, asking a psychiatrist for pills to reduce cravings for cleanliness, to those who ignore the mess in the house all week , but on weekends or once a month, he takes a rag and washes everything to a shine.

Unlike pathological Cinderellas, similar characters love cleanliness extremely selectively. Such a person will not fall asleep if he knows that things are lying around in the room, and the floor is already stained, but at the same time he can clutter up the pantry or closet. For example, they will tear out the floor in the entire apartment, but at the same time they will calmly eat in bed. Such people have their own "indicators of cleanliness" - a clean stove or bathtub, order on the table or dishes displayed in a certain way.

But there are those who simply ignore the mess. They don't care - a clean floor, a dirty floor, a white bathroom or covered with mold, white dishes, black dishes ... Life is so good that you would worry about such trifles. Pathological Cinderellas throw lightning bolts and call them sluts, and psychologists call them simply indifferent.

Does cleanliness contribute to the development of diseases?

Excessive traction in cleanliness is not only a sign mental disorder, and also contribute to the development of other diseases. According to scientists from Cambridge, because of it, Alzheimer's disease (a form of dementia) can develop. Dr. Molly Fox and her colleagues believe that the disappearance of microbes from human life leads to disruption of the immune system, which leads, in turn, to the development of autoimmune diseases. Inflammatory processes Alzheimer's disease is similar to autoimmune disease, so Fox assumes that the conditions for the occurrence of these diseases are the same. In particular, according to the results of their study, in developed countries, where the risk of contracting infections is much less, Alzheimer's patients are 10% more than in underdeveloped countries.

Other experts have concluded that changes in our microflora (that is, the result of reduced exposure to microbes in this case) affect the development of depression, as well as increase the risk of developing inflammatory diseases and cancer.

Bronchial asthma is also often manifested due to the use of various detergents during the cleaning process. Therefore, it is women who are more likely to get this disease (and die more often from it) than men.

Cleaning as therapy

There is nothing wrong with a healthy desire for order and cleanliness. Cleaning can lift your spirits and improve psychological condition. Firstly, cleaning (as well as cooking for some) helps to throw out negative emotions. Bad day? They came, cleaned the apartment, and you felt better. By moving furniture, a person visually structures thoughts, thereby stimulating thinking. By changing something in the house, you feel like the master of your life and control the situation. And this is a very important feeling for every person.

Is the mania of cleanliness and order a problem?

According to psychologists, excessive adherence to cleanliness is a consequence of complexes and self-doubt. Making the inner world of his house orderly, a person is protected from the outer world, in which he feels uncomfortable. But, trying to keep the perfect order in the house, people often lose contact with their relatives, as this annoys many. Yes, and clean people go crazy because others don’t care if things are scattered around the house or not. To find the roots of the problem, you need to work with a psychologist.

Otherwise, try to understand those Cinderellas for whom order is of great importance. Just help them clean up and keep the house clean, thus strengthening your relationship.

At first, clean people arouse admiration and envy among friends, and spouses cannot get enough of the fact that they got such household halves. There is not even a hint of dust and dirt in the clean house, the dishes look like they are not being used, and the clothes are in the closet so neatly, as if they were not being worn. Appearance such people are always on top, clothes are clean and ironed, and their hair is in perfect order.

Unfortunately, such exemplary cleanliness can become manic over time, when the clean person begins to perceive the family solely as a source of disorder, and also loses friends and acquaintances who are tired of listening to lectures on their slovenliness.

From the story of Elena, a thirty-year-old young mother: “We are very lucky that the owners of our rented apartment live in another city and come with revisions only twice a year. More frequent visits I certainly could not stand! My husband rented an apartment alone because I was on last month pregnancy and barely walked, so I met them when the child was already six months old. My husband described them as a positive couple of our age, so I was sure that they would not find much fault. Nevertheless, we cleaned the apartment for about a week. When they arrived, we had a nice chat at first, but then the hostess visited the restroom, and upon returning, she immediately started yelling at me that my husband and I are pigs, and personally I am a bad hostess and a bad mother, since my child lives in such unsanitary conditions. By the way, the child was nearby. This outburst of emotions was connected with... the hair in the sink. Sorry, I didn't follow. The husband combed his hair before leaving for work, it just hangs over the sink. Naturally, she did not begin to be rude to her in response, because a week before the New Year I wanted to decorate an already purchased Christmas tree, and not move. However, she did not run to correct the oversight, although the hostess clearly insisted on this. When I almost had steam coming out of my ears, her embarrassed husband, who had been hiding in the corner all this time, almost forcibly led the raging wife out, mumbling something about the fact that they were only from the plane and were very tired. Already at the entrance, she called my husband (he was at work) and also scolded him. This ten-minute acquaintance unsettled me for the whole day, since then my husband takes time off and communicates with them himself, and I'm leaving.

This is just one of many stories about manically clean people. Unfortunately, not all of them can simply not meet. It is especially difficult for husbands and wives to live in a "museum" arranged by amateurs. perfect order right in the apartment. Neat people are usually squeamish about children, but sometimes they have them for reasons that a family cannot be considered ideal without a couple of heirs. Toddlers grow up completely unadapted to household chores, because their clean parent does not have the patience to wait until they learn to do everything right. He will definitely finish or redo everything, and sooner or later the children will understand that there is no point in trying if you still can’t please.

What is the reason for this behavior?

The main reason for excessive cleanliness is mysophobia (fear of dirt). People suffering from this nervous breakdown wash their hands twenty times a day, shower too often, fear crowded places where "you can catch some kind of infection", do not pick up, avoid shaking hands, kissing and sex, and also suffer from all types of allergies and skin irritation, because constant contact with cleaning products and water does not go unnoticed. Ironically, such people get sick much more often than others, because the body, spoiled by "greenhouse conditions", reacts too sharply to microbes and dirt.

Mysophobia is just one of the symptoms of the obsessive-compulsive disorder syndrome that occurs with neurosis. It may also appear differently. For example, when a person demonstrates selective cleanliness, often washes floors and cleans plumbing to a shine, but at the same time eats in bed and scatters clothes on his clean floor.

Some hypertrophied neat people are not afraid of terrible diseases, they simply try to assert themselves due to the ideal order in their home. Most often, this form of obsessive-compulsive disorder affects women who do not have a personal life, as well as men with unfulfilled career ambitions. And even if such a clean-cut husband constantly goes on a spree and leaves her alone with a small child for several days, completely disregarding her opinion, but she has clean dishes and a freshly washed bedspread on the sofa. And a man who is not very appreciated at work returns home with pleasure, because everything is laid out in order there and his family walks “on the line” like in the barracks. It seems to such people that if they follow some rituals invented by them, everything in their life will go, if not better, then at least not worse. Naturally, if someone from the household prevents them from following these rituals, a scandal cannot be avoided.

IN last years there was another reason for manic cleanliness - the widely publicized image of the ideal hostess. In commercials, films and entertainment shows beautiful well-groomed people, ideal houses and apartments filled with comfort and a sense of style. On the Internet and magazines, you can see many articles with vivid photographs, teaching how to make decor with your own hands and cook dishes that look amazing and taste amazing. Naturally, in practice it turns out that doing something like this is much more difficult than it seems.

Most people understand that all these beautiful things and dishes are created by professionals and captured professionally, that all these interiors are beautiful, but it is very difficult to live in them, because carpets, an abundance of textiles and decor are not compatible with a dirty metropolis, small children and animals. However, some women develop a complex about their thriftiness. From that moment on, they life purpose will be the pursuit of an unattainable ideal. Why strive for it is another question. Such a desire can be another manifestation of neurosis, or an exacerbated complex, once imposed on a woman by her parents or a picky husband.

Is it better to be sloppy?

It turns out that if almost all clean people suffer nervous disorders then sluts - happy people without any problem? Actually it is not. The unwillingness to maintain cleanliness in your home speaks of the infantility of a person and the unwillingness to take responsibility for his life. This is especially true for those sluts who perfectly see what a mess they have made around themselves, but do not make any effort to change something. They limit themselves to complaining to everyone around about the mountains of dusty rubbish, asking for advice on how to quickly clean it up, and then they find themselves a cleaner who is ready to voluntarily scrub everything. Moreover, they never make life easier for him, clinging to every trinket.

The other type of sluts are those who really don't care about the dust and slippers sticking to the floor. They wash the dishes only when they run out of clean ones, they wash their clothes according to the same principle, they clean them only on big holidays or when there is a mood to accomplish some kind of feat. Some of them did not receive proper upbringing in childhood, it is almost impossible to re-educate them, for the rest, sloppiness may indicate prolonged depression, the desire to challenge the public or hide from this public under a layer of dirt. Often people stop keeping clean because they no longer consider their home to be theirs. For example, when they are already ready to move out from their parents, rent a house or move in with their lovers without being sure that this was the right decision.

Selective uncleanliness allows you to identify areas to which a person treats with hostility. sloppy workplace signals that a person is not minding his own business, a dirty kitchen speaks of dissatisfaction with his weight, and an unmade bed, constantly littered with extraneous things, eloquently hints at problems in his sexual life.

The main thing is to know the measure

Cleanliness and order in the house is an indicator of a mature attitude to life. Unscheduled cleaning is a great way to relieve stress or clean up your thoughts by thinking about some problem, but a clean house should also be cozy, so if guests have forgotten their way to the house of a cleaner, and household members try to spend as little time as possible there, just right reconsider your views on cleanliness.

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What does excessive cleanliness mean?

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Everyone strives to ensure that his house is always clean, every thing is in its place and the mess is spoiled general view. The mania for cleanliness and order is sometimes present in the jokes of relatives who like to make fun of those who are haunted by an unwashed cup in the sink from time to time. Usually this disease manifests itself in adulthood and is nothing more than obsessive state called mysophobia.

Signs and symptoms of mysophobia

Sometimes a person feels discomfort from the fact that his things are out of place, a slight mess can cause him a little shock. This makes his world unsafe and threatening to peace of mind.

Sometimes he can cope with this on his own, the phobia will not take on threatening forms. In this case, psychotherapeutic consultations, group trainings, for which you will be recorded in any psychological center, are very helpful.

The mania of cleanliness and order is not always justified, sometimes it's just a fear of an unfavorable assessment from society, a method to avoid feelings of shame from the fact that the world around is imperfect, things are not in their places, and the dishes have not yet been washed. There is nothing reprehensible in the feelings of such a person, internal conflict between the concepts of one's own carelessness and the canons of cleanliness in society can gradually grow and take on more aggravated forms.

Is it sick or will it go away on its own?

The mania of cleanliness, according to psychologists and scientists, is still a disease, although it does not threaten others. For anyone who is subject to this, there is nothing absurd in washing their hands more than a hundred times a day or taking off clothes that they think are dirty. Misophobia in men is much less common than in women, these are usually called pedants. Sometimes parents who notice such zeal in adolescents do not sound the alarm, but encourage him, rejoicing that a child has appeared in the house. good helper. This is not right, the sooner therapy is started, the easier and more painless will be treated. Some patients admit that they have some deviations in this regard and agree to accept outside help. Those who categorically deny their disease are much less amenable to therapy.

Mysophobia can be triggered by severe stress, positive or negative. The sooner you contact a qualified psychologist, the sooner you will receive help and fully recover.

Everyone at least once met a person who is obsessed with a mania of order. These people spend all their time cleaning. The room, in their opinion, should sparkle with cleanliness. The love of cleaning was instilled in us from childhood by our mothers. This is a quality that is always encouraged. However, with a detailed observation of the behavior of a person obsessed with cleanliness, one can notice the absurdity of his actions and irritability.

Sometimes adherence to order develops into mania

Causes of the disorder

The development of the disease can be caused both by the peculiarities of education, and form independently at a conscious age. The reasons are as follows:

chronic stress. Often the craving for cleanliness appears as a result of severe stress at work, at personal life. It has been scientifically proven that physical work helps to take your mind off anxious thoughts. If you notice that the desire to clean up manifests itself every time after stressful situations, it is worth contacting a specialist.
Diffidence. Keeping your home clean helps you feel like you're in charge of your life. The manic desire to clean up occurs when a person is not able to control the events taking place around him. Order gives the illusion of control and significance.
Perfectionism - name mental disorder in which the achievement of the ideal is the main goal of life. Perfectionists diligently put everything on the shelves, wash the floors with special trepidation, wipe the dust. If someone destroys their efforts, then they will surely face a flurry of negative emotions and perfectionist aggression.
The desire to be good. This reason goes from childhood: when parents wanted to see in us the smartest, most talented child. This was the starting point for the development of the syndrome good baby. With the syndrome, a person tries to do everything the best way and get rewarded for it.

Symptomatic picture

To proceed to direct treatment, you need to make sure there is a problem. The disease manifests itself in the following:

it seems to a person that the room around him is dirty and needs urgent cleaning;
thoughts are concentrated only on putting things in order;
people susceptible to this disease experience a fear of contracting diseases through contact with dirty objects.

Such a mania gradually develops into a fear of dirt, which is called ripophobia.

Communication with ripofob

Many families suffer because they do not know how to communicate with the patient or how to convey their thoughts to him. Explain to the person that everyone has their own understanding of cleanliness, order. There is a concept of creative chaos - scientifically proven that a slight mess contributes to mental clarity, inspiration and fresh ideas.

If you are forced to live with a ripophobe in the same apartment, make a clear distinction between your things and his things.

Prohibit cleaning, throwing out what does not belong to him. If conversations, beliefs do not help, it is worth taking the patient to an appointment with a specialist.

Possible dangers

It is believed that cleanliness is the key to health. In pursuit of unsurpassed purity suffers the immune system person. She suffers under the influence disinfectants used for cleaning. Manic desire to get rid of harmful bacteria leads to the destruction of useful ones that have a positive effect on the human body.

When the bacterial balance is disturbed, disorders are observed gastrointestinal tract, acne on the skin, hormonal imbalance.

Young children are at greater risk. Being in sterile conditions, their body loses its ability to resist disease. The absence of viruses and bacteria is just as detrimental to humans as their excess.

Perfect cleanliness is dangerous for the body

Correction

Mania of cleanliness and order - purely psychological problem that requires treatment. This will help aromatherapy and work with a psychologist.

Psychological help

Since the mania of cleanliness is formed under the influence of psychological factors, treatment should be appropriate. Seek help from a psychotherapist who will determine exact reason problems and help you deal with them. There are several effective ways.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the correction of the patient's consciousness. The purpose of this therapy is to change the way of thinking, established habits, lifestyle.
Hypnosis. The technique of hypnosis is based on immersing a person into a deep hypnotic sleep, during which a therapeutic effect is carried out by suggestion.

Both methods have shown their effectiveness in practice and are popular in the treatment of such abnormalities.

aromatherapy

Mania of order arises as a result of emotional overstrain, excitement. To relax, you need to regularly carry out therapy with aromatic oils, for this you need to pour a couple of drops into a special candle, thanks to which the apartment will be filled with wonderful aromas. Aroma oils should contain:

Lavender. Helps to normalize the work of the central nervous system, promotes a healthy full sleep.
Orange. Clears the mind, improves mood, restores the body's strength.
Bergamot. Promotes the production of dopamine (the hormone of happiness), reduces the symptoms of anxiety, nervous strain.
Mint. Stabilizes, restores mental health, eliminates overexcitation, depression.
Marjoram. Normalizes sleep, relieves stress, anxiety.
Rose. Stabilizes hormonal background, relaxes, relieves irritability, fatigue.

If you notice a manic desire to constantly clean the room, strive to ensure that the apartment is perfectly clean, try to let go of the situation, this will not lead to anything good. You need to be more relaxed about cleaning. This does not mean that your home should be dirty. Just every action should be done in moderation.