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Hoarders..... Really? The who, what, when, where and why of hoarding. by Nikki Willhite A lot of us have heard about the show on television called hoarders. It seems absurd. I've never seen it, and when I ask my husband if he wants to watch it, he says "I see enough of that in my job." I sometimes tell my husband that I think we have too much stuff. However he just laughs at me. As an insurance adjuster, he goes into homes every day so packed you can barely navigate the hallways. I've never taken him seriously.... until lately. The promos for the television show made me first take notice. Then I overheard some phone calls. My husband works out of our home, so I overhear many things. Recently he had a claim that it took 3 days for the contractor to be able to enter the house. Not only was the women too embarrassed to let him into her home to fix the damage, but when she tried to let him in, she couldn't open the door far enough so he could fit through it. Then I heard about man who works for one of the companies that dries out people's possessions after they have flood damage.  He will not watch that show about hoarders. Apparently, it gives him nightmares! All this made me really start thinking about hoarders. Why in the world do people buy that much stuff and live like that? I think of my own life, and how hard it is to keep from buying things. I did some research to try and understand what is going on with these people. This is what I found out. THE DEFINITION OF A HOARDING is "excessive acquisition of possessions, and failure to use or discard them, even if they are worthless, hazardous, or unsanitary." There are 5 designated levels of hoarders. If you are at level 1, the lowest level, you are just considered a "pack rat."  However at 5, the highest level ,you may have a mental illness, probably associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder. You can even get to a point where you may not be able to return things that you borrow, become a kleptomaniac or start stealing items. A level 5 hoarder does not lead a normal life. The clutter around them interferes with their social interaction, using the rooms in their home for their normal functions, cooking, cleaning, and all the stuff in their home puts their health and safety in jeopardy. THE RISK OF HOARDING The clutter in a hoarder's house makes it prone to fire, and when their homes do catch fire, the entries to the home are often blocked and the fire fighters are unable to do their job. The clutter in the home leads to insect infestation and rats. Risk of household accidents are high, due to tripping and other hazards from the mess. HOW AND WHY DO PEOPLE DEVELOP THIS PROBLEM? In short, there are several theories as to why people have a problem with hoarding, but nothing has been proven. Basically, there are 4 of them: 1. Example- children of hoarders often become hoarders themselves 2. Childhood neglect - trying to make up for traumatic childhood events with material possessions.  3. A medical disorder, probably linked to compulsive/obsessive disorder. 4. Finally, damage or a defect linked to a certain part of the brain. WHAT TO HOARDERS THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING? Hoarders differ in their thinking. Some have a mistaken view that their stuff valuable, even if it is junk. Others are well aware that it is useless, but have to keep it anyway. Still others develop a sentimental attachment to everything in their home, even though they know it has no value. DOES HOARDING START OUT SMALL, AND THEN GET WORSE? In the beginning states of hoarding, the mind starts playing games with the worth of their possessions. They start attaching a greater value to an item than it is worth. As the hoarding grows, the hoarder may start thinking that they should start decluttering, but feel overwhelmed by the task. This is where the situation becomes a vicious cycle, as things just get worse and worse. IS HOARDING CURABLE? The most effective treatment for hoarding is counseling, and possibly the use of anti-depressants. Every person is different. Some may be cured with help, and others will not respond to therapy or medication. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO A FRUGAL HOMEMAKER? In the beginning I thought that hoarders were just lazy people. If I didn't keep on top of the "stuff" in my house, it would get out of control in no time. Perhaps I would become overwhelmed. I think the important thing to realize is that hoarding seems to progress in small steps. Possessions are accumulated one by one. If someone calls you a "shopoholic", you may want to seriously think about the potential consequences of what you are doing. It doesn't always happen to "the other guy". I now believe once this disorder sets in, it is hard to let go of it. Most normal people would not put themselves, or their family at such risk. I think of my husband and when he had his heart attack. In our area, we have one of the best 911 emergency response teams in the US. They come into your home and basically set up a temporary emergency room in your home. When I called them, they came immediately. I was able to fling open my front door to let in what turned out to be a half dozen men in heavy gear.  They had to go down a long hallway with lots of equipment to get to my family room where my husband lay on the sofa. If I had been a hoarder, I may not have been able to get the door open to let them all in, let alone the stretcher and all their equipment.  Even the slightest delay would have hurt my husband. So now I feel more sympathy for whatever is going on with hoarders. I hope that their disorder gets enough attention that they both want to get help and have somewhere to go for it. As for myself, I am more determined than ever to get rid of anything that is no longer of us to me.  I have a greater appreciation for  the clear, open spaces in my home, and I'm trying not to be judgmental of those with this serious problem. About the Author: Nikki Willhite, mother of 3 and an interior design graduate, has been writing and publishing articles on the topic of frugal living for over a decade. Visit her at www.frugalhappyfamilies.com - where you will find hundreds of frugal living tips and articles. Frugal Happy Families- more than just money!

 

 

 

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