This blog answers the question “Is Spartanism a Mental Disorder?” and also covers topics like OCD, spartanism disorder, signs, symptoms, treatment, and frequently asked questions.
Is Spartanism a Mental Disorder?
Yes, Spartanism is also known as compulsive decluttering and it is quite opposite of Hoarding Disorder.
Spartanism is not officially a mental disorder diagnosis but it is still considered to be a problem that affects people and it is quite similar to obsessive-compulsive disorder which is a clinically recognized condition.
Let us understand what it is and how it is different from hoarding in the further sections.
What is Hoarding?
Hoarding has received a lot of attention in the media in recent years, and many of us are aware that hoarding and obsessive-compulsive disorder are frequently linked.
Both hoarding and OCD are classified as Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders in the DSM-5, the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) classification and diagnostic tool. Hoarding is even considered a compulsion in some cases of OCD.
Hoarding’s polar opposite: Spartanism disorder?
We all like neat and clean homes and surroundings. Putting things in their right places and getting rid of unwanted things can be therapeutic. But what happens if you can’t keep anything? What if you feel forced to remove your possessions and can’t tolerate the thought of having any “stuff” around?
This obsessive decluttering is known as a syndrome called obsessive-compulsive spartanism.
Since obsessive spartanism is a part of obsessive-compulsive disorder, let us first know a little about OCD and then go into the details of spartanism disorder.
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
What is OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by a pattern of unwanted thoughts and anxieties (obsessions) that cause you to engage in repetitive actions (compulsions). Obsessions and compulsions create severe distress and interfere with daily tasks.
You can try to ignore or stop your obsessions, but this will only make you feel worse. Finally, you feel compelled to engage in obsessive behaviors in order to relieve your tension. Despite attempts to ignore or eliminate troublesome thoughts or urges, they persist. This feeds into the OCD’s vicious circle of ritualistic activity.
OCD is frequently centered on certain themes, such as an overwhelming fear of being contaminated by germs. You can wash your hands till they’re sore and chapped to alleviate your contamination anxieties.
If you have OCD, you may feel ashamed and embarrassed about it, but remember that you can always seek professional help.
What is obsessive spartanism?
Obsessive spartanism is also commonly known as compulsive decluttering. It refers to the compulsion of decluttering your surroundings and getting rid of things, even those which may be essential for you. For example, getting rid of your lamp and then sitting in the darkness.
As compared to hoarding, one rarely hears about compulsive decluttering. The two possible reasons for this could be:
- People who get rid of too many of their personal possessions are harder to identify.
- Second, the medical community has yet to coin a separate term for this condition. Instead, you may have heard clinicians refer to “obsessive-compulsive disorder,” which is the umbrella term for “excessive decluttering.”
It is called obsessive-compulsive spartanism because of how sufferers live, which is often in sparsely furnished rooms and residences that are exceedingly clean but nearly empty.
In brief, individuals who have a mental obsession about a past, terrible incident in their lives are prone to compulsions, which are repetitive physical activities. Medical practitioners classify you as having an obsession if you are unable to let go of a past tragedy or traumatic experience. It’s the inability to take your mind off the situation.
Many people suffering from obsessions find brief comfort by repeating bodily tasks such as washing their hands or scratching their skin until it is sore. Unfortunately, many people who suffer from “compulsive decluttering” fall into this group and should get help as soon as possible.
Most psychologists address the activity as part of a larger pattern of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is sometimes referred to as “compulsive decluttering.” Despite the lack of a medical term for “compulsive decluttering,” the disorder is extremely real and can cause a slew of issues for those who suffer from it.
Signs and symptoms of Spartanism disorder
- Get rid of a large number of identical objects, such as music CDs, clothing, jewelry, or food, because you believe they are “wrong” or inappropriate for your current lifestyle.
- Giving away significant amounts of perfectly good clothing and then needing to buy new garments to replace the “out of date” or “infected” ones is a common example of this practice.
- Feel guilty about having “too much” and the implication that others think you’re a greedy, selfish person because you have so much, even though you live a simple life and live in a simple home.
- A sense that your life would be perfect if you could just get-go of more of your possessions. A related idea is that if you gave everything away and began again, you’d be “perfect.”
- Visions of severely congested rooms that arise in your head without warning on a regular or frequent basis.
- When you consider tossing something away, even if it’s a minor item, you get a rush of positive sentiments and relief.
- When you’re feeling unhappy, anxious, or uncomfortable, throw or give away an object. Seeing every difficulty as a matter of “getting rid of more things because things are the source of the majority of my troubles.”
- Financial difficulties as a result of continually discarding identical objects such as books or appliances in trying to “declutter” your life.
- When you realize how many items you own, you may experience extreme fear or outright guilt.
- Friends and relatives make comments about how many items you throw away. A sense of pride in how many things you give or toss away is linked to this symptom.
- If someone returns anything you lent or gave them, you will feel anxious.
- Suffer difficulty as a result of donating costly assets and then being unable to replace them, such as kitchen appliances, needed apparel, household goods, and food.
- currently suffer from a different type of Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- When you toss something away, you get a sensation of remorse. You frequently go out and buy the identical item to replace the one you threw away or gave away.
- Spending a lot of time generating “inventory” lists of everything you own, rummaging through old boxes of stored objects, numbering items, and making lists of everything you own. Having the impression that if you could label and number all of your stuff, you’d be well on your way to tossing everything away because you’d have a “written record” of it.
What should people with spartanism do?
What’s the best course of action if you’ve been reading this and are concerned about modest indicators of Obsessive-Compulsive Spartanism in yourself? Do you just label yourself ‘OCD’ and go about your business if the problem isn’t severe and you don’t want to solve it? To be completely honest, we’d rather you didn’t.
Self-diagnosis can be wrong. Furthermore, there is a well-known issue with people casually using the term “OCD” where it does not apply, causing major misunderstanding and diagnostic issues for true sufferers.
To be honest, if it’s not an issue that necessitates medical attention, it probably isn’t a disorder. After all, it’s called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, not Obsessive-Compulsive-Slightly-Weird-Habit-That-Is-Mildly-Irritating-But-Is-Eventually-Completely-Harmless-And-Controllable.
It’s probably best to just call yourself a perfectionist or a minimalist if you’re not feeling mental distress, interpersonal problems, or inability to go about your work. It’s a good thing it’s not full-blown OCD!
If, on the other hand, you know these signs and believe they’re impacting your health, the good news is that you can get help.
Treatment of Spartanism
Exposure and Response Prevention therapy (ERP) is used to treat all types of OCD. It entails confronting your fears one by one through a series of controlled activities. Many OCD patients seek therapy from a therapist, but if you prefer, you can do it yourself using an OCD self-help book or app like OCD.
Your exercises for Obsessive-Compulsive Spartanism will most likely entail desensitizing oneself to regular levels of things. You may need to purposefully place items in your living space that you would otherwise discard. Alternatively, practise not discarding particular items. Perhaps you’ll need to purchase a tiny thing that appears ‘contaminated,’ declutter some neat belongings, or pay a visit to a super-cluttered friend’s home.
An ‘imaginal exposure’ is when you write a story about your darkest concerns about excess possessions coming true, record it on tape, then listen to it over and over again. It can be highly effective in some situations. Regardless of how you go about it, the counseling should be targeted to your particular fears.
Conclusion
Seeking proper professional help will help you to get over your obsession with keeping everything non-cluttered. You will slowly get accustomed to having a normal amount of things in your house. You might still lie to like to live a minimalist life, but it will not interfere with your everyday functioning.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs): Is Spartanism a Mental Disorder?
What is the source of compulsive decluttering?
Financial difficulties as a result of continually discarding identical objects such as books or appliances in trying to “declutter” your life. When you realize how many items you own, you may experience extreme fear or outright guilt. Friends and relatives make comments about how much items you throw away.
Is minimalism a sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder?
In some situations, minimalism and the need to declutter become an unhealthy way of life and a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). And the extreme minimalist will declutter as much as possible in order to test his limitations and see how little he can live with.
What are the risk factors associated with obsessive compulsive disorder?
Trauma or stress. Significant stress at home, school, job, or in personal relationships might increase your risk of getting OCD or worsen your symptoms if you already have it.
Personality.
OCD may be influenced by personality factors such as difficulties dealing with uncertainty, heightened emotions of responsibility, or perfectionism. However, whether these are fixed qualities or more flexible learning responses that can alter is a point of contention.
Childhood maltreatment. Children who have been subjected to abuse or other traumatic childhood experiences, such as bullying or severe neglect, are more likely to develop the disorder.
What can I do to get rid of my OCD?
A healthy, balanced lifestyle is important for reducing anxiety and preventing OCD compulsions, phobias, and concern. Exercise on a regular basis. Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment that helps to decrease OCD symptoms by retraining your mind when obsessive thoughts and compulsions develop.
What can I do to stop decluttering?
Allow yourself to refrain from redecorating or shopping for new items. Hang out in the empty space if you’re feeling bold. Take a moment to consider what you truly desire and require in your life right now. Before removing or adding anything else, you might want to take a breather and relax in your newly decluttered home.
Why do I constantly rearrange things?
People with OCD who are preoccupied with order and exactness are prone to repetitive arranging, organizing, or lining up of objects until particular conditions are met or the end product feels “just right.” Because of their urge to arrange and order things with such exactness and accuracy, these people are usually referred to as perfectionists. Ordering and arranging may appear to be beneficial, but when a person is unable to let go of it, it becomes a kind of OCD.
References
.