Ivy says:
I remember when I was in college, I didn’t feel like I had time or energy to deal with cleaning, so my house was constantly messy. My mom was constantly on me about making sure my house was clean. I’d get depressed for long stretches of time, and she told me if I’d only clean my house, I’d feel better.
It made me incredibly mad. To me, my depression was caused by real problems not just a dirty house. I figured cleaning my house wouldn’t fix anything, so I left it dirty.
Now that I’m older and (ha!) wiser, I’ve been struggling with depression again, and my housework has suffered a bit. This past week I’ve been cleaning and decluttering furiously, and my house is back to being the paragon of cleanliness (ha! again!) I like it to be. I realized something. My mom was right.
When my house is cleaner, I feel better, cheerier. And while having a clean house won’t singlehandedly pull me out of a depression, it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
::hugs:: It’s such a catch-22. Too depressed to clean, but cleaning makes things nicer.
Hope you feel better soon! (And unplug your phone if mom’s a buggin ya!)
I suffer from depression myself and I really can relate to this. I have started taking some supplements that are really helping me because we are without health insurance right now and I can’t afford my normal meds. Feel free to email me and I can send you the info (no worries- I don’t sell or know anyone who sells anything so no spammy spam)
I can really relate too.
For me, it was getting started that was always the hardest. And it takes such strength of will to decide to do something when all I would rather do is sit on the sofa and stare. But taking charge of your house is soooo empowering! You’ll be in my thoughts, Ivy, as you beat back the depression and find your path.
I hope you keep stepping in the right direction. I keep telling my dh that a messy house is our biggest source of evil right now, and he just thinks that is my stupid excuse, of why I don’t want sex. LOL
I totally agree! It’s like a cycle – when I clean my house I feel better, and when I feel better I feel like cleaning my house!