The problem many people face is that they’re not aware of when their cleaning becomes obsessive, and this is often because they’ve been doing it for so long and it now feels normal, or because nobody has ever told you that it isn’t normal.
While cleaning can be therapeutic, and of course we all want a clean and tidy home, sometimes the joy of house cleaning can turn into an obsession, and without any guidelines or comparisons, it’s not always easy to know when/if this has become the case.
One of the most common indicators that can help you determine whether your cleaning is obsessive, is if your cleaning causes issues for the people around you; if so, you may need to seek help from a therapist and could find hiring a professional cleaner, to be a manageable solution both in the short and long term:
Does your cleaning cause problems for those around you?
For some people, relaxing after even a hard day at work isn’t possible until some cleaning tasks have been performed, and this can cause tension with other members of the household. The person’s partner, for example, may also have had a hard day at work, and wants nothing more than to relax and unwind with their significant other, but because of their strict cleaning schedule, they’re unable to do so. The partner may even request them to perform certain cleaning tasks every day to keep them happy, and they may end up feeling controlled and resentful.
For the individual carrying out the obsessive cleaning, they can become stressed and physically exhausted, and this typically contributes to any ill feeling or resentment already in existence between them and their partner, or other members of the household.
If this sounds familiar to you, you might be suffering with an OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and you’ll experience a strong and often overwhelming compulsion to clean or perform cleaning related rituals to help you feel more in control. Sadly, when you find that you can’t meet your own expectations, you may begin to feel as if you’re not in control and that your life is coming apart at the seams.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of help out there for anyone suffering with an OCD, and you don’t have to feel frustrated, angry or sad every day, anymore. You can also say goodbye to constant cleaning and look forward to spending more quality time with your loved ones. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, has been proven to help those who feel a compulsion to clean, and reaching out to a professional who specializes in this form of therapy, could help you keep your cleaning under control. Pair this with hiring a cleaning service, and you could be on the path to living a more fulfilled and content life.
Freelance writer and published author.