Plyushkin syndrome is a pathological desire for hoarding, when a person uncontrollably buys, brings home and stores mountains of unnecessary things. On the one hand, this dependence signals trouble psychologically, on the other hand, it blocks positive changes in a person’s life. If you do not deal with the problem in time, there is a risk of developing a real mental disorder.
Causes of pathological hoarding
There are various reasons for an overabundance of things. Some people “inherited” them along with family settings, others suddenly find themselves in the middle of an apartment cluttered with unnecessary boxes with various rubbish...
Mentality. The consequences of the war, and later - a total shortage in the country, and now the older generation passed on to us the instruction not to throw away anything and “take everything into the house”, in case it comes in handy.
Psychology of poverty. This reason closely echoes the previous one.A person does not allow himself to throw away something that he has not used for several years - “what if you need it and then what - buy something new?!” Or instead of one quality item, you buy 3 cheap and frankly low-quality ones.
Got it! A sharp increase in income levels and the availability of purchases in online stores around the world - and now you don’t even need to leave home to buy something unnecessary. It has been proven that an increase in income is certainly followed by an increase in needs. On this wave of euphoria, many thoughtless purchases are often made.
However, people from this category most quickly realize the need to get rid of unnecessary things and objects in their apartment.
There is money, but no happiness. Sometimes the desire to buy unnecessary things is just an attempt to drown out unpleasant emotions, melancholy and internal dissatisfaction. In this way, a person tries to gain pleasure through acquisitions, like an obese person who gains joy or comfort through food.
In this case, it is difficult to stop making impulse purchases and start decluttering the space around you. As with any addiction, you need to find inner resources to rely on, figure out your life and learn to experience joy without thoughtless purchases, cigarettes, alcohol or overeating.
A real mental disorder. It can take the most extreme forms, for example, a person can bring home everything he sees around him. Including items from landfills. Gradually, such an apartment is filled with various unnecessary rubbish and itself turns into a landfill.
There is only one answer here - turn to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist, since even if you once put things in order through an effort of will (or the hands of loved ones), the situation will repeat itself.It is important to get rid of the reason - the painful desire to collect trash and bring it home.
Negative consequences of cluttering
Cluttering space often reflects the clutter and confusion in our minds, but at the same time affects our state of mind. A kind of vicious circle is formed: a depressed, melancholy mood provokes painful hoarding, and the resulting chaos increases internal discontent.
Clutter is often associated with stagnation in finances, career, personal life and even excess weight. The identified relationship allows you to start small - by putting things in order in your apartment, and then the external will affect the internal. Many people note that as soon as they begin to get rid of unnecessary things, long-awaited (and sometimes completely unexpected!) positive changes occur in their lives.
How to part with things easily and correctly
Decluttering is an action, a movement, a confirmation of the intention that you are open to new things and there is a place for them in your life.
No need for feats
The scale of the upcoming cleaning can be so intimidating that it is difficult for a person to take even the first step. Or someone decisively rushes into the decluttering hole, only manages to throw everything out of the closets and take it out from the mezzanines - when they are already dead tired or the weekend is over. There is no time and energy left, and psychological stress accumulates along with things.
It will be better if getting rid of old things happens gradually, without physical and emotional stress.
The rubbish did not accumulate in one day, it took years! Nothing bad will happen if you have to live as it was for some time, but the process will be painless, and getting rid of the old (and not buying unnecessary things!) will become a habit.
Turn the process into a game
Develop your own personal strategy for clearing your apartment of unnecessary things. There are many options here, think about which ones inspire you to take action the most? Checklists, daily reports on social networks, treating yourself to a tasty treat, arguing with loved ones over a large sum?
The digital world is also a space
It is important to bring order not only to the physical space, but also to the digital one. Blockages in email, movies that you will never watch, e-books that you will never read, subscriptions to mailing lists, uninteresting or unpleasant people on social networks, contacts on the phone - all this with its presence invisibly affects us, creating a feeling of a swamp. Set a timer every day for 10–15 minutes and during this time clean up your phone, personal or work laptop.
Combating the effects of gathering is not an easy task. Don't set yourself the goal of changing the world over a weekend. Do at least one action a day, but regularly, and soon quantity will turn into quality. New quality of your life!
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