Is Compulsive Hoarding Ruining Your Life?We have all seen the articles and news reports on compulsive hoarding lately. But what is it exactly and what can be done about it? Glad you asked! A hoarder is when someone acquires and saves a mass amount of things, items or animals that have little to no value and then having a very difficult time in discarding any of it or giving it away. Usually they will gather so much that there homes are filled to over flowing with stuff to the point where the living situation becomes a hazard. And most have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and/or Depression. No matter how hard they try they can not part with their belongings. Some may feel that they will need it later or that something bad will happen if they discard it. There are very serious consequences that come about when you have this problem. Fire hazards, health hazard and death to name a few come to mind. Before you can get help for hoarding you need to identify if you are a hoarder or if you know someone who is? Don't confuse collecting or collectors with hoarding. Also, if you are a pack-rat you may or may not be a hoarder. To me hoarding takes being a pack-rat to the extreme. I would suggest if you feel that you are a hoarder or that someone you know is a hoarder that you seek professional help. Only with professional intervention from a healthcare professional can a hoarder start to get there lives back in order. With the help of a healthcare professional a hoarder can then work with a professional organizer to get some type of order back into their lives. I have found two great books about hoarding that can give you more insight and solutions to this barrier. I am not an expert when it comes to hoarding. I would suggest reading these books to gain better insight into what hoarding is and what it isn't.
Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding by Fugen Neziroglu, Jerome Bubrick, and Jose Yaryura-Tobias Hoarding and Clutter by The Infinite Mind And if you are a Professional Organizer I would recommend this new book by Judith Kolberg to help your hoarding clients. Hoarding is no laughing matter. The sooner you get help the sooner you can get your life back!
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