What should I do if my partner is obsessed with cleanliness? – Online Psychologists

Not all the problems that come to our office have to do with love, or anxiety. Sometimes we receive messages about less common problems, obsessive behaviors that are difficult to identify as unhealthy precisely because of their relative strangeness. This is the case of Carlos, who contacts us worried because he fears that his partner has obsession with cleanliness.

These types of problems are often trivialized, or turned into a comic resource in movies and series. However, the obsession with cleanliness can be a symptom of a serious problem: a obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

OCD is a mental disorder that leads those who suffer from it to fall again and again into compulsive behaviorsdue to a series of repetitive ideas that obsess them.

This problem generates large doses of anxiety in those who feel it. An anxiety that they relieve by carrying out compulsive actions, such as washing their hands or scrubbing the floor.

In the case of the obsession with cleanliness, those who suffer from it are constantly harassed by the the thought that everything should be clean and tidy. This obsession with order can worsen if not treated quickly, something that happens very often, precisely because neatness is a highly valued characteristic in our society.

The obsession with cleaning most likely won't appear overnight. If you want to be prepared to spot the signs of possible OCD, you should know that it will most likely appear in the form of small mania.

For example, the obsession may initially manifest itself with the need for a certain space to be placed in a certain way. Carlos tells us that María, his partner, would arrange the sofa cushions by size before going to sleep.

Although this habit didn't worry her at first, after a while her partner confessed that she couldn't sleep peacefully if she didn't arrange the pillows first. If she gets into bed without doing so, she becomes anxious. Sometimes, she even thinks that something bad will happen if she doesn't arrange them.

The signs that warn of a possible obsession with cleanliness are:

If you think that you or a loved one may be a victim of OCD when it comes to cleaning, don't hesitate to seek psychological help. An online psychologist can offer an effective and affordable solution to this problem.

Possible origins include:

OCDs related to cleaning do not only affect those who suffer from it. They also have negative effects on their close circlewho may perhaps get caught up in their rituals, or may not understand what is happening.

As if that were not enough, the other person's disorder can have a serious influence on the mental health of their partner. After all, we are talking about behaviors that can be very stressful for those who suffer from them and which can lead to problems of coexistence.

First and foremost, you should keep in mind that your own mental health comes first. If you need to get away so that your stability is no longer at risk, don't hesitate to do so.

However, it is possible that even though you are affected by your partner's compulsive behaviors, you still want to help him or her.

Many people are able to free themselves from their obsessions thanks to the fact that, at their worst, they had a support network that helped them deal with their disorder. When the affected person cannot see that there is a problem, or refuses to get out of it, support from their environment is key.

In that case, you must learn to do not give in to their pressures. It is your partner's obsession that speaks for your partner and you should not let it take control. To avoid this, the best thing you can do is convince your partner to go to a doctor or a mental health specialist.

Obsessive-compulsive disorders are often treated with exposition techniques.

Exposure techniques are a type of treatment that is often used to treat phobias and obsessions. They consist of expose the patient to what he fears gradually.

In the case of cleanliness obsession, the patient will have to deal with chaos and «dirt», for example, by touching a doorknob without wearing cleaning gloves.

At we have been experts in online therapy since 2012. Throughout our career we have helped more than 1,600 patients overcome various emotional problems.

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