Understanding Hoarding and Help for Loved Ones

Hoarding, a mental illness most closely related to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), can be very hard for family members and loved ones to understand. Hoarding is not a lifestyle that someone chooses; it is a disease that is difficult to control. While the hoarder often wants to make changes in their life, they feel those choices are beyond their control. Unsure of how to make changes, their home continues in this downward spiral. The home becomes unsafe due to fire hazards, unwanted animals, feces, mold damage and it poses serious threats to the health and safety of the hoarder and those who live nearby.

Understanding The Need For Intervention

Understanding Hoarding Help

Typically, it takes an intervention by family members and/or close friends to assist the hoarder with getting the help they need which is often times a very difficult situation. This technique is designed to be a helpful way to understanding and accepting this situation more easily in an effort to facilitate the changes needed by the hoarder. By studying Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, you can relate to the hoarders mindset and views on the items that they obtain and learn how to interact with the hoarder to eliminate some of the items in the home.

Understanding The Reasons For Hoarding

There are an estimated 3 million hoarders in the United States. It is important to understand that people hoard for a variety of reasons. Some people hoard because they are perfectionists. They find themselves filled with anxiety because they can not bring order and neatness to everything, so they ultimately give up and let their home and life spiral out of control. Other people hoard because they are afraid that as soon as they get rid of something, it will be needed for an important reason, thus they hold on to everything to prevent this from happening. Some hoard because they are so scared to make wrong decisions, that it is easier for them to make no decisions at all. Some professionals believe that hoarding is hereditary and that a traumatic life event (abuse, death of a loved one, divorce, etc.) can push someone “over the edge” into hoarding. Regardless of why, hoarders are generally lonely people who have isolated themselves and/or their families out of shame and embarrassment.

While hoarders may not see a problem with all their belongings, they know that others disapprove and so they find themselves hiding their homes, and in turn their lives from others. If you suspect that your loved one is a hoarder, there are things you can do to try and help the situation go as smoothly as possible.

Hoarding Help With Loved Ones

It is very normal for loved ones to become angry when entering the hoarder’s home. You wonder why they would choose to live like this, and you may even think that they are lazy and dirty. However, it is important to try and hide this reaction, or better yet, not react like this at all. Controlling your response could be the difference between a successful cleanup and lifestyle change, and an unfortunate situation where the hoarder shuts themselves off from everyone and refuses to cooperate with the clean-up.

The first step towards controlling your reaction is to educate yourself about the situation and find out ways to help the hoarding situation with compassion and ease. Finding videos and/or pictures of hoarding homes on-line will help prepare you for what you may encounter. It is important to remember that there are different kinds and degrees of hoarding, so what you see in these pictures may not be what you encounter when you see your loved one, but this will help you overcome the initial shock. There are many books and articles on hoarding that will educate you further. By understanding the causes and reasons behind someone’s hoarding, you will likely be more sympathetic. It may even be advisable to talk with a therapist ahead of time. Just be sure that the therapist is one who has specialized training in hoarding behaviors. Acquiring a greater understanding will help you to be better prepared.

Armed with this training and insight, loved ones learn that compassion and non-judgment are the most important things when entering into the hoarder’s home. While it may be difficult, this will ultimately leave the hoarder more open to assistance, and will hopefully make the clean-up and treatment much more effective over time. When requiring a cleaning company, keep Address Our Mess in mind and call us for a free estimate to cleanup your home.

Mon, 04/16/2012 - 13:50 by Kenneth Donnelly