topic Re: Know Any Hoarders? in Community Chat

Know Any Hoarders?

naturalfan — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 00:58:56 GMT

I do - neighbors right around the corner from me. Their garage is filled wall to wall, floor to ceiling with boxes, so they don't park in the garage. Their home is the same. The deck and yard is filthy and then they have the nerve to complain about rats. When you live in a big city, I know there are rats but they certainly do not help the situation. They live in an old dilapitated apartment buidling which luckily is scheduled for demolition and they have to move out shortly. Of course, they knew this for months but everything is still sitting there as usual.

My house is not perfect. At times, I have newspapers and magazine I need to take out to the recycle. There might be some dust from time to time and I once in a while put off vacuuming when I should just get the vacuum out and do it. But, I can say I am definitely not a hoarder and I would NOT be totally embarrased if someone stopped by unexpectedly.

How do people get to this point? He has a very good paying job and she does not work. How can anyone stand to live in such filth? Their families visit occasionally too so they see all this stuff around but I guess nobody cares. Will be interesting to see when they move. It will be a PITA when the demolition and construction begin but this building needs to go.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

mgm2 — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:02:51 GMT

Yes, unfortunately I do.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

Chloe Piper — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:04:52 GMT

Heck no and I am glad I don't!

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

Mama Mia — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:07:08 GMT

There is a woman in this area who actually was on the ""Hoarder"" show a few years back and is doing it again.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

PurpleBunny — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:08:12 GMT

Er ... My basement is close!! Waayyyyy too much down there!!

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

Nancy Drew — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:09:54 GMT

My parents. There house is not dirty but way to much stuff.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

mgm2 — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:13:19 GMT

OP, when the building is scheduled for demolition, please have an exterminator at your house that same day, Some of those "creatures" will be looking for a new home.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

tansy — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:17:05 GMT

One of my elderly friends' son is apparently a hoarder who is so bad he has pathways to get around his house. He and I are childhood friends but he won't let me into the house. His mom is hoping I will be able to help him:-/

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

Mominohio — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:19:08 GMT

I'm afraid that one of my best friends is in this category. She hasn't let anyone into her house for a lot of years now because she is ashamed of the mess and accumulation of junk. The really sad part is she has a son that is a teenager, and his home has been like this most of his life.

I tend to be careful about who I define as a hoarder, because some people think that anyone who has more than one or two of anything is a hoarder. I think it comes more when you can't control what you have, can't organize and clean it, can't access exactly what you have when you want it, and can't move through a space. Many hoarders don't do the trash thing, and are actually quite clean, but have so much stuff they can't control it.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

chessylady — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:22:23 GMT

My brother's MIL is a hoarder. Her kids have tried to help her clean several times but she refuses to cooperate. My brother said she saves rotted wood, containers,anything she can get her hands on. She had a whole pickup truck filled with old tupperware and plastic containers, most without lids. She has filled up two houses she owns and has about 15 storage garages. My brother said he and his wife refuse to enable her any longer. They call her a couple of times a month to see how she is.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

sidsmom — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:47:14 GMT

It's a horrible mental disease. That's why those shows always have ""aftercare"" funds for therapy. You can't fix it with just a clean.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

glb613 — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:58:49 GMT

There are categories or levels of hoarding. Level 5 is the worst and what was shown on the 2 different TV shows. The definition of hoarding is:

"Some hoarding in humans may be a form of mental illness, specifically obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),^[1] where the perceived importance of the hoarded items far exceeds their true value.^[2] Humans may lose the desire to throw away unneeded items because of a feeling of attachment to these items. In severe cases, houses belonging to such people may become a fire hazard (due to blocked exits and stacked papers) or a health hazard (due to vermin infestation, excreta and detritus from excessive pets, hoarded food and garbage or the risk of stacks of items collapsing on the occupants and blocking exit routes).^[3]""

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

gazelle77 — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 03:07:21 GMT

I do not understand the hoarders who do not throw out their trash. I can see liking dolls, or something.....but to just throw empty food containers on the floor...and walk on them rather than putting it in a garbage bag?

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

Grade1Teach — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 13:23:53 GMT

No, I don't know any true hoarders.

However, I do make fun of my husband for holding on to things that he thinks he will use one day. He has a hard time letting go of items, so it's up to me to help him along...

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

aprilskies — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 13:54:11 GMT

Years back before these shows came out. I never realized it was a disorder though. Sad situation but not for my friend. That is how she was comfortable. Sometimes, just garbage around that could be the thrown out. I don't get the garbage thing either.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

brii — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 14:03:59 GMT

No, I don't know any hoarders. There is a distinction between true hoarding and just having too many things though

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Preds — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 14:25:58 GMT

My mother.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

missy1 — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 14:53:01 GMT

On 3/6/2014 brii said: No, I don't know any hoarders. There is a distinction between true hoarding and just having too many things though

ITA. Hoarding is when you can't walk through your home or use the bathroom. Feces, food trash and other things like are on the floor.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

Lacey1 — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 14:56:59 GMT

Hoarding is definitely a component of mental illness. I've seen it many times while doing home health nursing. It is more prevalent than many people know. The behavior does not stop if the house is cleaned up, it will start up again. Cleaning and removing the 'hoard' can cause extreme emotional distress for these people. It is not limited to low income families, nor older people. In addition to being a health and fire hazard, hoarding can lead to social isolation.

Trying to establish a relationship with these patients was very tenuous. If we said anything about cleaning up the house-they would never let us in again. I think the 'Hoarders' TV show must be pure torture for the people on the show. They know they have a problem-but their hoarding gives them peace, as hard as it is for us to understand.

Re: Know Any Hoarders?

nunya — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 15:24:14 GMT

I don't understand the old food, garbage situation either. They had an episode where they shoveled 4000 lbs of cat poop out.