An order of magnitude higher: how geniuses differ from schizophrenics
Lack of order is considered a feature of geniuses, schizophrenics, and adolescents. However, the causes of chaos are different in all cases: some have peculiarities in the organization of the workplace, others have mental disorders, and others have a lack of independence. Why people who do not belong to these categories are not inclined to systematize objects, and which life hacks will help lazy people keep order in the apartment — in the Izvestia material.
Teenage rebellion
Where and how to store things is a personal decision of a person, but there are two mandatory criteria of order – convenience for a person and compliance with at least minimum sanitary standards, says clinical psychologist, member of the Association of Interdisciplinary Medicine Sergey Volkov.
— The reason that a person cannot keep things in order is most often a simple lack of skill: they were not taught to store things in childhood, and cleaning was punishment and hard labor. It is much more serious if people do not adhere to sanitary standards — in this case, medical and psychiatric help is usually required," comments Volkov.
The mess champions are teenagers. Adults tend to view their disorder as a rebellion against society and the parental system. But, according to the clinical psychologist, this rebellion is more expressed in attributes and behavior. A teenage mess is most likely associated with an elementary lack of independent living skills and the ability to organize time.
— This is a normal process. For a long time, the parent supervised the child and gave him instructions on when and what to put in place, and when to clean the floors. When teenagers get freedom, they still don't know how to use it in the sense that they don't organize themselves very effectively yet," comments Volkov.
Geniuses and schizophrenics
A clinical psychologist considers it incorrect to say that geniuses are prone to disorder as such. Where ordinary people see chaos, brilliant people have their own very logical system.
"They classify things differently and organize the space," the expert comments. — Their mess is not chaos, but a system. The space is precisely organized. Brilliant people always know where an object is located and can explain why it is there.
This is how eccentric geniuses differ from schizophrenics, with whom they are sometimes unfairly compared, hinting at the mess of both. The clinical psychologist notes that the state of the brain in which people do not maintain perfect order is indeed inherent not only to geniuses and creative personalities. It is common for patients with schizophrenia or patients suffering from dementia to ignore general concepts of order. Another thing in common is that schizophrenics also have ideas that they are obsessed with. But these ideas of mentally ill people are not brilliant, like those of inventors or scientists, but painful. And the mess is very different: for patients with disabilities, it's just chaos.
— Schizophrenics can turn an apartment into a garbage warehouse, or, for example, fanatically build a pyramid of napkins. And people with dementia sometimes forget that things should be in their proper places. They don't "scatter" objects, but simply forget about them, resulting in a mess. For the same reason, a person may forget to observe basic hygiene," explains the clinical psychologist.
Sergey Volkov considers the concept of "creative disorder", which fans dissuade from throwing things around, to be a kind of protection from a society that aggressively condemns people for the mess in the apartment. This speech construction gives nobility to carelessness and laziness. And protects you from malicious critics.
"A mess is always a mess. But each "chaos" is unique. If a person lays out tubes of paint on a table and uses a table instead of a palette for convenience, then this is his choice. This is the form of its order and organization," says Volkov.
It's also not worth writing down lovers of mess as schizophrenics if they are not brilliant or do not paint pictures. The clinical psychologist emphasizes that clutter in things is not a symptom in itself. Especially if it's convenient for a person and he knows and remembers where his things are. Or he's just tired and doesn't have time at the moment to maintain perfect order. But the expert calls the disorder that appeared suddenly, for no reason, an alarming signal.
A remedy for dementia
But as a prevention of dementia, it is even useful sometimes to look for some things so that the brain solves some new tasks, rather than getting a ready-made solution. Rearranging objects forces the brain to perceive space in a different way, to adapt anew. According to Sergey Volkov, this is the same as brushing your teeth with your left hand if you are right-handed. Such a load forces the brain to learn anew, and without a choice. And this is very effective in the long run.
It is impossible to say for sure which areas of the brain are responsible for order and which do not work if a person is inclined to throw everything around, says Sergey Volkov. After all, order and disorder are complex concepts, and they are also individual. But the expert emphasizes that it is precisely possible to identify the zones and systems involved in the organization and reaction to space.
— The frontal lobes are responsible for the ability to program (not to profession, but to calculate your actions in advance and make plans) and plan actions, set goals and correctly allocate opportunities and resources, — says Sergey Volkov. — Effective cleaning is impossible without all this. This zone is not fully developed in adolescents (it grows to 26-28 years old) and suffers from dementia.
The desire-reward dopamine system is also important as an incentive for cleaning. According to the clinical psychologist, the brain gets a little pleasure when completing tasks. Consequently, a person gets a portion of happiness hormones after successful cleaning.
— But this pleasure is too little compared, for example, with regular rewards from watching videos and social networks. There is a massive dopamine glut in the world right now, which is why simple things like cleaning cause apathy, depression and are perceived by the brain as a senseless waste of resources," explains Volkov.
However, at the same time, cleaning has a calming effect on many people. And not by chance.
"Rhythmic, identical movements, like dusting or mopping floors, coupled with purpose and attention, are actually an extremely difficult task for the brain," comments the clinical psychologist. — They require the involvement of both hemispheres, their rapid alternating switching. This causes synchronization of brain function and depression of the amygdala (amygdala), bringing a person to a state of rest and greatly reducing anxiety.
That's why people with anxiety disorders like to clean up so much. However, one cannot conclude that if this is the case, then it makes no sense for a positive-minded person to bother with cleaning.
It works better when it's clean.
It has been scientifically proven that in a room where everything glitters and pleases the eye, it even works better.
— If we talk about disorder, then visual noise is a set of multiple stimuli that attract the attention of the brain. Our main body has to constantly filter out this noise in order to solve its tasks. To increase efficiency, there are even certain areas in design — "office" renovation, "office" furniture, "office" layout, made extremely minimalistic and simple, so that as few things as possible distract a person from work, this increases his efficiency," says Volkov.
According to the clinical psychologist, if a person works or rests in a cluttered room, then his cognitive abilities are constantly suppressed, and rest for the nervous system does not even begin. And sometimes the feeling of fatigue even increases. At this point, the amygdala (amygdala) is activated, an almond—shaped area of the brain that is responsible for raising stress levels, which causes fear or anger.
— Imagine that you enter a room in which there is a cracked mirror, newspaper clippings with images of women are on the table next to it, a straight razor is stuck next to the wallpaper, the curtain is torn off, so the window is covered with a newspaper. The room smells of dust and a "gooey" cake, and there is something sticky on the floor, like cherry juice... In all scary movies about maniacs, the theme of "chaos" in space is exploited, as in the head of a madman. This is because when we see things out of place or understand the uncertainty of their application, we experience anxiety and fear. And we want to get out of this space," the expert continues.
Arousal of the brain at the sight of disorder is inevitable, since in general, scattered things are perceived by our main organ as unfinished business and failure.
— Constant arousal without completion is eventually blocked by the brain, perceived as a complete failure. This means that, on the whole, at the level of the nervous system, a person has suffered, without realizing it, dozens of failures without leaving the room. People massively rate themselves as losers or "not good enough" in life and profession. And such a drop in self—esteem is caused simply by scattered things," the clinical psychologist continues.
Sergey Volkov emphasizes that it doesn't matter to the brain at all who eliminates the annoying mess. "If you call a cleaning service and it cleans up everything, the brain will think that you have done it, and the person will begin to feel proud, and self—esteem will rise," says the expert.
How to hide a mess
If restoring order requires too much volitional effort and choice from a person, then he will prefer disorder, says Maxim Solovyov, creative director of the architectural studio Solar Buro. Therefore, the space in the dwelling should be organized simply and conveniently.
— Ordinary cabinets with many drawers require logically correlating things with each other, remembering where a particular class of objects is located, not confusing them, — says the expert. — If you need to open uncomfortable doors to hang a shirt, then it will most likely end up on a chair. And when one movement is enough "along the way", it's easier to maintain order.
Therefore, to simplify life, you need to choose a minimalistic interior — it is ergonomic, understandable, adapts to regular human actions and natural movements.
— This approach is based on the so-called concept of functional minimalism: open niches, wide shelves, a system of hidden modules, neat baskets. It remains for a person to fold or even throw a thing into a clear and well—thought-out space," says Solovyov.
According to the designer, there are even design solutions that seem to be created for those who like to throw clothes on chairs. For example, light floor rails and open hangers: you can literally throw things on them on the go, without doors and unnecessary movements. For those who prefer to put a sweater or jeans out of sight with one gesture, without trying to arrange everything according to the ideal structure, the expert recommends deep modular dressers with open sections.
— For example, a bench or a banquette with a neat soft basket is an honest "intermediate zone" for clothes that you are not ready to put away in the closet, but you do not want to see on a chair either, — Maxim Solovyov suggests. — And it is better to make the cabinets themselves as simple as possible inside, without "multistory": the simpler the design, the higher the chance that it will actually maintain order.
A balcony or loggia is called the hallmark of an apartment. Meanwhile, even the most careful housewives sometimes do not consider it necessary to restore beauty here, using this space as a warehouse for unnecessary or seasonal items.
"A cluttered loggia dramatically reduces the impression of the apartment as a whole," the designer warns. — It is better to use the balcony as an additional bright room — an extension of the living space, where there is a lot of air, light and silence. When there are no piles of random things, the loggia, professionally speaking, enhances the interior, rather than dragging it down. It visually expands the apartment and creates a sense of lightness that is lacking in urban spaces.
Special storage rooms, located on the ground floors of new residential complexes, are designed to free balconies from junk. And for those who cannot boast of such a room, the designer advises to pay attention to built-in pencil cases, placing them along blank walls, as well as compact closed modular cabinets, where it is convenient to put unclaimed items.
— You can avoid the temptation to clutter up a balcony if you plan it as a living space with light glazing, lighting, underfloor heating or at least insulated flooring, — says the designer. — It is better to place furniture on such a balcony in the same style as the entire apartment. And then no one will want to arrange a warehouse in the living room.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
