What causes compulsive decluttering?

Because a clean environment typically looks better and more organized than a "cluttered" one, people can start to get into the habit of decluttering, which can lead to the extreme of compulsive decluttering.
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Why do I constantly rearranging things?

People with OCD who are primarily preoccupied with order and exactness tend to engage in compulsive behaviors that include repetitive arranging, organizing, or lining up of objects until certain conditions are met or the end result feels "just right." These individuals are commonly referred to as perfectionists due to ...
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Why am I obsessed with throwing things away?

Sometimes called “compulsive decluttering,” most psychologists treat the behavior as part of a larger pattern of obsessive-compulsive disorder. But even though medical science doesn't have a specific category called “compulsive decluttering,” the condition is very real and can cause all sorts of problems for sufferers.
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Why am I obsessed with cleaning and organizing?

For many patients, obsessive thoughts revolve around germs, which makes the compulsions manifest as obsessive cleaning. People with OCD may also feel the need to organize everything to make sense of their thoughts. However, the symptoms are still the obsessions and compulsions, not the cleaning itself.
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Is minimalism a form of OCD?

In that case, minimalism and the addiction to declutter indeed becomes an unhealthy lifestyle and a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
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Ep. 300 | Compulsive Decluttering



Why do I always want things clean?

OCD produces serious anxiety. Compulsive cleaning is often related to fears of contamination, and compulsive arranging can be caused by a need for symmetry and balance. This disorder can be treated with therapy, medications, and procedures that stimulate parts of your brain known to be affected by the disorder.
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Why are people obsessed with minimalism?

So, why are people becoming minimalists? If it isn't obvious from the statement above, it's because we want — scratch that — we need to de-stress. We need less “stuff.” As the organizational genius says, “An uncluttered environment mirrors an uncluttered mind.”
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What is excessive cleaning disorder?

OCD is one of those terms that some people misuse as a way to describe people who like things super-clean or arranged just so. But if you have the actual condition that's obsessive-compulsive disorder, how it negatively affects your life is very real. OCD usually doesn't happen all at once.
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Why does my anxiety make me clean?

The Psychology Behind Cleaning

Researchers theorized that people gravitate toward repetitive behaviors (such as cleaning) during times of stress. Why? It's all about control. "We want to be able to do something when we get anxious, and what we really want is to be in control and take action," says Alicia H.
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What is it called when you want everything organized?

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is a personality disorder that's characterized by extreme perfectionism, order, and neatness.
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What is Horder?

Hoarding is the persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. The behavior usually has deleterious effects—emotional, physical, social, financial, and even legal—for a hoarder and family members.
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How do I stop decluttering?

Give yourself permission to not redecorate or shop for more. Be brave and hang out in the empty space. Take a little time to think about what you really want and need in your life right now. You might need a break to hang out in your newly decluttered space before subtracting or adding anything else.
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Is cluttering a mental illness?

While cluttering is not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, it is widely recognized as a condition that affects both men and women in all socioeconomic classes and is commonly dealt with in psychotherapy and community support groups as are mental health disorders that also involve ...
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Why am I obsessed with rearranging my room?

OCD might also manifest as a need for order and symmetry, constantly rearranging their furniture and belongings, or hoarding things.
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Why do I feel the need to rearrange my room?

Designing a new space provides an opportunity of artistry as well as comfort. As you re-arrange your personal space, you hone your aesthetic and identify what you truly love, want, or need. Such specificity brings relief, and re-purposing what's there is a feel-good option opposed to buying new things.
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What is rumination OCD?

Rumination and OCD

Rumination is a core feature of OCD that causes a person to spend an inordinate amount time worrying about, analyzing, and trying to understand or clarify a particular thought or theme.
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What do you call a person who is obsessed with cleaning?

Germaphobes are obsessed with sanitation and feel compelled to clean excessively, but they're really suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder.
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Why am I so obsessed with my house being clean?

Maintaining a clean and tidy home is usually a sign of good emotional health. When cleaning becomes obsessive, however, an underlying mental disorder may be the cause. Obsessive fears of contamination along with cleaning and sanitizing compulsions is one of many subtypes of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).
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What are the common warning signs of OCD?

Key warning signs of OCD include:
  • excessively seeking reassurance.
  • resisting change.
  • spending too much time completing things, getting dressed or eating a meal (longer than would be expected for the child's age)
  • redoing tasks.
  • refusing to touch objects with bare hands.
  • excessively washing hands, body and so on.
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What are 5 of the main symptoms of OCD?

Compulsive behaviour
  • cleaning and hand washing.
  • checking – such as checking doors are locked or that the gas is off.
  • counting.
  • ordering and arranging.
  • hoarding.
  • asking for reassurance.
  • repeating words in their head.
  • thinking "neutralising" thoughts to counter the obsessive thoughts.
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Why millennials are minimalists?

They prefer to save money and live more responsibly, and minimalism can greatly help them achieve that. Buying a lot of clothes they won't wear that much is only temporary happiness, so millennials are choosing to focus on buying fewer pieces that are more durable and of better quality.
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Why is minimalism so boring?

Minimalism is boring because it's the least offensive choice when making design decisions. Your own creative taste needs to be unlocked and spilled out onto the page.
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Is minimalism only for rich?

Minimalist aesthetics are not affordable

In the beginning of the article, Minimalism is for the wealthy, Elizabeth Okosun first argues that many people can't afford the aesthetics associated with the lifestyle.
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Is wanting a clean house OCD?

Each person's obsessions and compulsions are unique and based on their life experiences or fears. As such, some people with the disorder obsess over cleanliness. These people may fear that if they do not keep things extremely clean, they will get sick or die. However, this is not true of all people with OCD.
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Is being a neat freak normal?

People who are "neat freaks" generally aren't terribly worried about their so-called problem. They are able to go about their lives without excessive distress. Not all people with OCD are overly concerned about cleanliness because obsessions and compulsions can involve a surprisingly wide array of issues.
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