I am 46, male and experiencing the same problem, currently. I am off of work, due to a Dual depression, and Generalized anxiety disorder, which I have had all my life. I am using a Cpap machine for Sleep Apnea, and going to a psychologist and psychiatrist. I am on Lexapro for deprssion, and it does not seem to be working. I still have not gotten motivated to clean my condo.
I am a big music collector and most of the cluuter is records, but I have another seperate room for that. I have records all over the front room, clothes that have not been taken out and hung up, and I do not open mail, or go thru the bills. I found a very helpful website called: www.squalorsurvivors.com.
The one thing they do mention is that if you live in squalor or know someone who does, DO NOT pick on the person, or tell them to get moving, which will make them retreat further. I did find out that I am not producing Cortisol, and I do have to have an MRI today, focusing on my Pituitary gland. I also was diagnosied with Chronic fatugue, so an Endocrinologist would not be a bad thing, for someone like this, to look into the matter, further, and have some blood work done, to check your chemical levels. My Dr. said the worst case scenario would be I may have ot take a pill for a year or 2 to get my Adrenaline levels uo. He said JFK had the same problem, and it is treatable. Also, he wants me to have an ultrasound on my kidneys.
The show was right on, and would like to see follow ups on the topic. It is more common than people realize. Many friends and family, do not understand why ANYONE would not clean their place up. It is more complex than that. For me, I hope to get better, but have not always been a real messy guy or real neat guy, for that matter. Mine seesm to be lack of motivation, depression, lack of energy. Alos, www.flylady.net is useful too, as it is a free site, and you can register and receive a daily email. Flylady, teaches you how to get organized, and each day of the month a different area of the home is focused upon, to be cleaned, therefore, after a month, you have cleaned the whole house, at least once. Squalor survivors teaches you, for those who do not know where to begin, to start cleaning something simple, like the top of the tv, refrigerator, so that you will have a feeling of accomplishment, but just START, somewhere.
I have other problems, that can be attributed to this problem, such as financial debt, and a chapter & is not an option as I file din 2000.
Any one that has been there, knows what I am talking about. Any suggestions if you have been there, would be helpful to me. I must also mention that I thought I was going thru Andropause, and had 3 Dr's shrug it off, as I am reading on the interent, Again! I took it upon myself to find an Endocrinologist and he DID find something wrong with my Hormones.
Hopefully this will be a start to a cleaner house, and some peace of mind. Thanks Dr. Phil for addressing the issue, hope to see more on the topic, and maybe Male Menopause.
