How do you deal with mess/clutter?

[Hip]

I am the opposite of what most people are saying here.

Before I got ME/CFS, I was neat and tidy, and always organized with my things — there was a logical system to my neatness, with certain draws, cupboards or shelves allocated to storing specific types or categories of item (which always meant I could find things quickly).

But after getting ME/CFS, I found my mind's ability to create logical schemes for organizing and storing items just vanished. So now everything is mixed up. My desk is chaotic combination of vitamin jars, various drug that I am trying (or drugs I was trying but forget about, and now they are buried under scraps of paper), paper notes that I make to myself, flash drives, pens and pencils, flashlights, you name it. It's hard to find things on my desk.

This sort of mess would have really bothered me before I got ill, and I would have immediately organized everything neatly; but now with ME/CFS, my mind does not even see the mess in front of me. It is as if I am too brain fogged to notice mess. Or perhaps it is because my own mind and thoughts have themselves become a chaotic mess (whereas previously I was a clear thinker), and my messy environment simply reflects my messy mind.

 

[otterjack]

Snookum, I think there's a lot of truth in that. We have so little control over our bodies and health that we can compensate, or try to. If I were able to get out more and do all the things I'd love to do (yoga every day, anyone?) then I probably wouldn't be overly concerned about keeping things so neat and organised.

Grigor, I think I'd feel differently about constructive clutter, items relating to a hobby or pastime for example. A photography studio, or painters studio, I don't think I'd consider to be clutter. Likewise, books. Each to their own. And it's great to hear that you're not depressed with your M.E.!

 

[Effi]

or what about this?

If I were able to get out more...

...I wouldn't see all the clutter, so I wouldn't care about it!

 

[otterjack]

Hip - I can really related to what you said about previously being a clear thinker. I do feel very much that my mind doesn't work as it did, and the "chaotic mess" you refer to is definitely how it sometimes feels to me. But, rather than drowning out the mess, the outer mess amplifies the inner chaos and makes it unbearable.

I guess I'm lucky that in having moderate M.E., I can more easily keep on top of things. But one of the reasons for keeping on top of things is so that if I do take a turn for the worse, it will take longer for my environment to descend into total disorder and mayhem!

 

[otterjack]

H, Effi, yes, if I was out more, it wouldn't matter!

 

[taniaaust1]

Once I got poisoned I found, to my surprise, that I have Aspergers. Its on the spectrum, but high functioning. When I'm Toxed Off My Ass (TOMA) I can't filter input. Everything from every one of my senses (except taste), including my emotional radar, bombards me all at once. So visually, auditory, aromatically, tactilely, emotionally, I need everything to be ordered, or calm. If not, I use too much energy to process it all. I can't eat or cook in a messy kitchen either. If I'm too tired to clean it, I don't eat.

I have Aspergers too and the messy kitchen puts me off eating, that and a lack of wellness/energy to cook or clean makes me miss lots of my meals
.........

I get by by attempting to ignore the mess.. but inside its driving me insane (I sent myself to prison for a clean environment for a while etc). When I pay the mess attention, I just want to cry. It's impossible for me to clean due to my health.

...........

Sometimes I just shove it in a cupboard until I feel up to it so even though I know it's there I don't have to look at it.

oh boy.. even the thought of that makes me cringe. That would drive me doubly insane as I'd never be able to forget the mess was there. Hidden mess to me is even worst then visable mess though I must admit one day when I had someone knocking at door I just grabbed as much as I could quickly and did throw it into a cupboard.

 

[taniaaust1]

Several years ago my EI had me do a test (only done in the UK at the time) called a nitrotyrosine test. Heres a link about it, http://www.cellbiolabs.com/sites/default/files/STA-305-nitrotyrosine-elisa-kit.pdf Anyway, my results showed that I had "alzheimers, brain damage, and was "2 points above the autism diagnosis." I had a lot of symptoms of the others and I'd previously devolved into full blown, rocking, stimming, eye rolling, unable to communicate autism, right before my husbands eyes in the 20 minutes following taking a 1/4 dose of cipro. I no longer use any pharmaceuticals! Over the years I've read up on autism because it intertwines with so many of my conditions. Autism is a toxic injury. I became interested in the Aspergers category because I recognized so many of traits in my husband. i.e. In our 36 years together he has never spontaneously said "I love you." He has zero empathy. If you tell him a loved one dies, he goes right on with whatever's on his mind. Its not because he doesn't care, though. Its because he can't deal with it, and doesn't know what to do. I read some books on aspergers, I recognised MYSELF!!!! My EI confirmed yes, that what we both have, LOL read Aspergirls, http://www.amazon.com/Aspergirls-Empowering-Females-Asperger-Syndrome/dp/1849058261?SubscriptionId=06KMPSHEDSXXQMQVT482&tag=askcom05-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1849058261 and her other books. It was really empowering, and made feel much more comfortable in my skin. It helped me better utilized my strengths and weaknesses. It also helped me to understand my husband better.

Hi. there is no testing kit for Aspergers and diagnoses should be done by experts in this (autism specialists) as it can be a complex disorder to diagnose. Diagnosis also should be based on ones symptoms too in childhood (the autism specialists actually interviewed my family on my childhood history before giving me a diagnoses). ME/CFS can present with MANY aspergers symptoms.

 

[taniaaust1]

The weird thing is that I didn't care as much about clutter before I got sick. Now it drives me crazy.

One of my doctors once suggested it could be because since I got sick there is so little I can control in my life that I go a little overboard on the things I can control. I think that might be true.

I didn't mind clutter either as much before I got sick. I think I so hate it now as with being sick, as I need to be far more organised eg it takes more energy to find something amid clutter. Im constantly looking things amongst it and then suffering a burn out before I find things.

Clutter is also stimulating on my brain so I don't like it for that reason either.

 

[Tammy]

It's really a shame.................our planet is being poisoned........We are being poisoned. . Actually it's a crime.
That's really weird about the kids feeling the need/craving for the toxins! Besides removing the toxins from the environment/diet.............was anything used as far as supplements to get rid of metals/toxins?.........What do you think are some of the best supplements to do this?.

 

[Toxed]

@Tammy , we're way off thread. I'll go creat a new one and see if I can figure out how to ask the admin if they'll move our conversation.

 

[WoolPippi]

I'm a bit the other way around: before illness I was mrs. Clutter and now I keep a nice house.

During illness the clutter drove me mad and sad. One day I shoved all the clutter in a room, closed the door and didn't enter it for a couple of years.
I made sure I had some nice things on the wall to focus my eyes and attention on while laying on the couch. I just denied the clutter and the dirt for the time I was ill.

Now I'm a bit better and love to keep the place tidy. Every day, while the water boils, I walk around and put things in their places. I vacuum once a week. Clean up the things after I've used them (while I'm still with energy).
It's still a mess, I've settled for 60 score out of a perfect 100. That's acceptable. And live-able. And do-able.

There's no real cleaning though. There's grime and cobwebs in the corners and the floors have not been washed in a decade. But the floors are free once a week and the tables and kitchen counter once a month.
I notice the grime .. but I need my energy elsewhere.

I'm ashamed when people visit here. But I'd be bold and say: "This is my house and this is the best I can do. I've used my cleaning-energy to write something nice on the internet instead. Priotizing, you see?"

And I've learned to ask for help. People love to get a clear question and do their friends a favour. Wash windows. Wash car.
Afterwards I get back to them and let them know how I am enjoying my clean windows/car.

 

[Cinderella24]

I have ocd and me/ cfs pots it is nightmare i need everything clean it just make me ill it has gt lil better though over last few months i had control it as ended me in hostpital few times

 

[Snow Leopard]

I deal with it by pretending it doesn't exist.

 

[otterjack]

I've tried that tactic, Snow Leopard.....and I'm really crap at it.....