Your body is trying so hard to keep you going, and it’s exhausted!” she says. “If you’re reading this and sitting in a messy room, you are not a failure. When managing symptoms of depression and a messy room, “try to practice some self-compassion,” Teresa recommends. “Start with one small piece to clean as your goal,” Holland says, “and then celebrate and praise yourself when you accomplish that.” Give yourself grace Noting your achievements, however big or small, can remind you to make headway and do your best. “Once you get started, it’s also more likely that you’ll keep going.” Track your progress “Take baby steps toward cleaning it,” Holland suggests. Ease yourself in rather than trying to go full force. “It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged, which results in not trying at all,” Teresa says. When faced with a lot of clutter, you may be unsure how to start managing it. There are steps you can take to help you manage depression and clutter. Tips for managing cleanliness and depression together Excess cortisol is linked with depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. UCLA researchers have also found a link between household clutter and high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. And a 2017 study found that an accumulation of clutter due to procrastination can lead to a large decrease in levels of life satisfaction. Research from 2020 found high levels of household disorganization in families led to poor cognitive, behavioral, and communication outcomes among adults and children. A 2016 study says that clutter harms overall well-being. Studies suggest that feeling surrounded by chaos can affect mental health. However, “if you find yourself saying, ‘My house would be so clean if I weren’t so depressed…’, chances are that the messiness does affect your depressive symptoms.” For others, living in a mess may feel completely out of character and only occur when they are experiencing a depressive ‘episode,’” she says. “Some people may feel quite comfortable with clutter or mess. But does a bedroom overflowing with laundry exacerbate symptoms more acutely? The impact of messiness varies between people, according to Teresa. There seems to be a link between messy living spaces and depression. “My clients who experience depression sometimes say they feel inadequate when they struggle with daily tasks that come so easily to others.”ĭoes a messy room contribute to depression? “There can be a lot of shame tied to mess,” Teresa says. That is, you might want to engage in certain actions but simply don’t have the emotional or physical energy to do so. Someone might even lose motivation to maintain personal hygiene. It can also lead to losing interest in activities once enjoyed, such as socializing with friends and participating in hobbies. Feeling this way means it can “take significantly more energy and effort to accomplish small tasks - like tidying your space,” Teresa says.īut when it comes to depression, a lack of motivation doesn’t relate only to messy living spaces. So, tidying up seems like an insurmountable task when you’re experiencing common signs of depression, such as:ĭepression often manifests itself through a lack of motivation. “Going about your daily routine, which comes naturally to some, tends to feel nearly impossible to someone experiencing depression,” Teresa says. “Living with depression can make it feel really, really challenging to do a lot of things, keeping a living space clean may be just one of those,” says Gaby Teresa, associate marriage and family therapist at Kindman & Co. Keeping up with tasks, such as tidying up or doing laundry, is difficult if you’re experiencing symptoms of depression. Why do some people with depression have messy spaces?ĭepression can make it hard to concentrate, take care of yourself, and get things done.
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