Addiction to clutter
Addiction to ClutterClutter is a big problem for many people. At a lecture that I gave, I asked for a show of hands regarding how many people had problems with clutter as well as disorganization. I was surprised to find that at least half the people raised their hands.One of my clients told me that she was trying to help her sister get back on her feet after her sister had been laid up with an illness as well as lost her job. Her sisters house had always been a mess, as well as had become so filled with clutter that there was no place to walk or sit. My client, Rebecca, offered to buy her sister a car if she would clean up her house. Rebecca even offered to help her sister clean up the house. Rebecca was shocked when her sister refused this offer, even though she desperately needed the car. He sister was unwilling to get rid of this clutter.Why? Why was the stuff so important to her?Underneath all addictions lies fear – of emptiness, helplessness, loneliness and aloneness. Addictions are a way to feel safe from feeling these difficult and painful feelings, and an addiction to clutter remains no exception. Its all about having a sense of control over feeling safe. Clutter, like all addictions, provides a momentary feeling of comfort. However, as with any addiction, this clutterer needs more and more clutter to maintain the illusion of safety as well as comfort.When my mother died as well as my son was cleaning out her house, he discovered huge amounts of clutter. While my mothers house always looked neat and clean, the cupboards and drawers were filled with clutter. My son told me he found 6 broken hair dryers in one cabinet. Why would my mother want to keep six broken hair dryers?My mother grew up during this depression as well as always had a fear of not having enough. No matter how much she accumulated materially, she never felt that she had enough. The six hair dryers made her feel safe Gin Creek Kitchen from her fear, even if they didnt work.Carrie has trouble throwing things away, especially magazines with important information in them. She subscribes to many magazines but, being this mother of three small children, doesnt often have this time to read them. So this magazines pile up as well as pile up. Carrie hopes at some point to have the time to read them, but that time never seems to come. When asked why she wont throw them out, her answer is, Because there might be something important in them and I dont want to miss it. Carrie fears missing out on some important piece of information information that may give her the peace she is seeking. It makes her feel safer and in control to have all this magazines around her with their important information, even if she never gets to read them.
