A hoarding condition occurs when an individual acquires an abnormally large number of objects and stores them in an unorganised manner, frequently resulting in overwhelming amounts of clutter. The items may be worthless or have no monetary value at all. Hoarding is considered a significant problem if the following conditions exist:
- The level of clutter impairs daily life — for example, the individual is unable to use their kitchen or bathroom and is unable to enter areas.
- The clutter is causing considerable distress or impairing the person’s or family’s quality of life — for example, they become agitated when someone attempts to eliminate the clutter, and their relationship suffers as a result.
Hoarding disorders are difficult to treat because many hoarders do not recognise their behaviour as a problem or are unaware of how their behaviour affects their life or the lives of others. Many recognise they have a problem but are hesitant to seek assistance due to feelings of great shame, humiliation, or guilt.
It is critical to encourage someone who is hoarding to seek treatment, as their inability to discard goods not only causes loneliness and mental health problems but also poses a health and safety concern. If not addressed, this is a problem that will almost certainly never go away.
Why would someone hoard?
It could be a sign of another ailment. For instance, someone with mobility issues may be physically incapable of clearing the massive amounts of clutter they have accumulated, while those with learning difficulties or those developing dementia may be incapable of categorising and disposing of objects. Among the mental health difficulties connected with hoarding is extreme depression, schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses, and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).
Hoarding is a condition in some circumstances and is frequently related to self-neglect. These individuals are more apt to remain unmarried, have had a disadvantaged childhood, either due to a lack of material possessions or a strained connection with other family members, have a history of hoarding in my family, have grown up in a chaotic environment and never learnt to organise and prioritise their possessions.
Many hoarders have strong ideas about obtaining and discarding items, such as “I may need this in the future” or “If I buy this, it will make me happy.” Others may be coping with a severe life event, such as a loved one’s death.
Attempts to remove items frequently elicit extremely powerful emotions that might feel overpowering, and the hoarder frequently puts off or avoids making decisions about what can be discarded. Often, the items retained have little or no monetary worth and may be considered trash by the majority of people.
The individual may preserve the goods for reasons that are not immediately apparent to others, such as sentimental reasons or the perception that the artefacts are attractive or useful. The majority of persons who suffer from hoarding disorder have an intense emotional tie to the goods.
Numerous individuals collect goods such as books or stamps, and this is not viewed negatively. The distinction between a “hoard” and a “collection” lies in the organisation of these goods. A collection is typically well-organized, with conveniently accessible things. A hoard is typically exceedingly disorganised, takes up a lot of space, and contains a great number of goods that are mainly unreachable.
For instance, someone who collects newspaper reviews may cut out and organise the evaluations they desire in a catalogue or scrapbook. Someone who hoards may accumulate vast stacks of newspapers, clogging their entire home and preventing them from reading any of the reviews they desired to save.
Hoarding can lead to unsanitary living conditions, and in turn will attract rodents and other animals. We can help clear a hoarders home, contact us today to see how we can help.
The telltale signs of a hoarding disorder
Typically, someone with a hoarding issue will:
- Keep or collect goods with little or no monetary worth, such as junk mail and carrier bags, as well as objects they intend to reuse or fix.
- find it difficult to classify or organise goods
- possess difficulty with decision-making
- develop an unhealthy obsession with objects, refusing to allow anyone to touch or borrow them
- have strained ties with family or friends
Hoarding can begin as early as the adolescent years and becomes more obvious as the person grows older. Hoarding becomes more problematic for individuals as they age, but the problem is typically well entrenched by this point. It is estimated that approximately one or two people in every hundred have a major problem with hoarding.
Certain individuals with a hoarding issue will accumulate a variety of goods, while others will accumulate only certain categories of objects. Some items that are frequently hoarded include newspapers, books, clothes, leaflets and letters, as well as unsolicited mail, monetary bills and receipts, a variety of containers, such as plastic bags and cardboard boxes, and home supplies. Additionally, some individuals hoard animals that they are unable to adequately care for.
Data hoarding has become more prevalent in recent years. This is where someone maintains massive volumes of electronic data and emails that they are adamant about not deleting.
Why are hoarding problems a concern?
Hoarding disorders can be problematic for a variety of reasons. It has the potential to take over a person’s life, making it extremely difficult for them to navigate their home. It can have a detrimental effect on their professional performance, personal cleanliness, and relationships. Hoarders are frequently unwilling or unable to receive visitors or even allow tradespeople in to perform necessary repairs, which can result in isolation and loneliness.
Clutter can be hazardous to the individual’s health and the health of anyone who lives in or visits their home. For instance, it may:
- obstruct cleaning, resulting in unsanitary conditions and fostering rodent or insect infestations
- constitute a fire hazard and obstruct exits in the case of a fire
- result in trips and falls
If you believe a family member or friend may have a hoarding condition, try to convince them to accompany you to a doctor’s appointment. This may not be straightforward, as someone who hoards may not believe they require assistance. Attempt to be sympathetic to the situation and express your care for their health and well-being.
We can help clear out houses that have been used by hoarders, it could take days, weeks or perhaps months to fully clear out a hoarders home. Our house clearance team are experienced with these matters and after a quick review of the property we’re able to offer a timeframe for the house to be cleared.