topic Re: 66 year old hoarder in Community Chat

66 year old hoarder

~moxie~ — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 13:39:04 GMT

Died because her first floor was so full if junk and debris that it collapsed on her while she was in the basement. The had to call in a special search and rescue team to find her. Story on huff post.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

apple1964 — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 13:52:04 GMT

I saw this on my local news yesterday. Very sad .. this is a mental illness that should get more exposure then it does.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

hckynut — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 14:14:39 GMT

To me this is not a "mental illness" because that seems to be one of the later trends. If someone does something "way out there" they either now call it a "disease" or a "mental illness". I'll stick with people just being different. Some like to keep nothing and others like to keep everything.

For me I don't see anything but it being something some people enjoy doing while others think it is ridiculous. I saved lots of "stuff" over many decades of different aspects of my life. Some from auto racing/some from sporting competitions and others? Probably qualify as "junk" to most people, but to me they meant something.

When we moved in the year 2000 into our present home I threw out a whole lot of stuff I had kept for several decades. If I hadn't seen it/read it/used it for a couple years? Into the dumpster it went. Now I never considered myself as having a mental illness because I like to hang onto things. I reserve that for those with what I see as true mental illness more the type that may cause harm to others.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

kittymomNC — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 14:23:38 GMT

On 6/16/2014 Matty6 said:
I saw this on my local news yesterday. Very sad .. this is a mental illness that should get more exposure then it does.

Matty6, I agree with you. True hoarding is definitely a mental illness...but it's the same old story. A lot of people would rather ignore mental illness rather take the time and effort to learn something about it...people who SUFFER from any kind of mental illness need all the understanding and compassion they can get. I guess hoarding is one of those that's more difficult to understand, but here is some information for anyone who might be interested.

Hoarding: The Basics

I’ve always had trouble throwing things away. Magazines, newspapers, old clothes… What if I need them one day? I don’t want to risk throwing something out that might be valuable. The large piles of stuff in our house keep growing so it’s difficult to move around and sit or eat together as a family.

My husband is upset and embarrassed, and we get into horrible fights. I’m scared when he threatens to leave me. My children won’t invite friends over, and I feel guilty that the clutter makes them cry. But I get so anxious when I try to throw anything away. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, and I don’t know what to do.

This example is typical of someone who suffers from hoarding. Read on to learn more, including the differences between hoarding and collecting.

Understanding Hoarding

Hoarding is the persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. The behavior usually has deleterious effects—emotional, physical, social, financial, and even legal—for a hoarder and family members.

For those who hoard, the quantity of their collected items sets them apart from other people. Commonly hoarded items may be newspapers, magazines, paper and plastic bags, cardboard boxes, photographs, household supplies, food, and clothing.

Find out all about animal hoarding.

Hoarding can be related to compulsive buying (such as never passing up a bargain), the compulsive acquisition of free items (such as collecting flyers), or the compulsive search for perfect or unique items (which may not appear to others as unique, such as an old container).

Symptoms and Behavior

Someone who hoards may exhibit the following:

Inability to throw away possessions
Severe anxiety when attempting to discard items
Great difficulty categorizing or organizing possessions
Indecision about what to keep or where to put things
Distress, such as feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed by possessions
Suspicion of other people touching items
Obsessive thoughts and actions: fear of running out of an item or of needing it in the future; checking the trash for accidentally discarded objects
Functional impairments, including loss of living space, social isolation, family or marital discord, financial difficulties, health hazards

Reasons for Hoarding

People hoard because they believe that an item will be useful or valuable in the future. Or they feel it has sentimental value, is unique and irreplaceable, or too big a bargain to throw away. They may also consider an item a reminder that will jog their memory, thinking that without it they won’t remember an important person or event. Or because they can’t decide where something belongs, it’s better just to keep it.

Hoarding may be present on its own or as a symptom of another disorder. Those most often associated with hoarding are obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression.

Although less often, hoarding may be associated with an eating disorder, pica (eating non-food materials), Prader-Willi syndrome (a genetic disorder), psychosis, or dementia.

Diminished Quality of Life

A lack of functional living space is common among hoarders, who may also live in unhealthy or dangerous conditions. Hoarders often live with broken appliances and without heat or other necessary comforts. They cope with malfunctioning systems rather than allow a qualified person into their home to fix a problem.

Hoarding also causes anger, resentment, and depression among family members, and it can affect the social development of children. Unlivable conditions may lead to separation or divorce, eviction, and even loss of child custody. Hoarding may lead to serious financial problems, as well.

Learn about staging an intervention.

Hoarding vs. Collecting

Hoarding is not the same as collecting. In general, collectors have a sense of pride about their possessions and they experience joy in displaying and talking about them. They usually keep their collection organized, feel satisfaction when adding to it, and budget their time and money.

Those who hoard usually experience embarrassment about their possessions and feel uncomfortable when others see them. They have clutter, often at the expense of livable space, feel sad or ashamed after acquiring additional items, and they are often in debt.

Fugen Neziroglu, PhD, ABBP, ABPP, is Director of the Bio-Behavioral Institute, in Great Neck, New York

Re: 66 year old hoarder

hckynut — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 14:36:43 GMT

On 6/16/2014 kittymomNC said:
Matty6, I agree with you. True hoarding is definitely a mental illness...but it's the same old story. A lot of people would rather ignore mental illness rather take the time and effort to learn something about it...people who SUFFER from any kind of mental illness need all the understanding and compassion they can get. I guess hoarding is one of those that's more difficult to understand, but here is some information for anyone who might be interested.
<h2 class="hoarding--the-basics title" style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #a2a388; line-height: 1em;"> Hoarding: The Basics</h2>

I’ve always had trouble throwing things away. Magazines, newspapers, old clothes… What if I need them one day? I don’t want to risk throwing something out that might be valuable. The large piles of stuff in our house keep growing so it’s difficult to move around and sit or eat together as a family.

My husband is upset and embarrassed, and we get into horrible fights. I’m scared when he threatens to leave me. My children won’t invite friends over, and I feel guilty that the clutter makes them cry. But I get so anxious when I try to throw anything away. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, and I don’t know what to do.

This example is typical of someone who suffers from hoarding. Read on to learn more, including the differences between hoarding and collecting.
<h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #cc9933; line-height: 18px;"> Understanding Hoarding</h4>
Hoarding is the persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. The behavior usually has deleterious effects—emotional, physical, social, financial, and even legal—for a hoarder and family members.

For those who hoard, the quantity of their collected items sets them apart from other people. Commonly hoarded items may be newspapers, magazines, paper and plastic bags, cardboard boxes, photographs, household supplies, food, and clothing.

Find out all about animal hoarding.

Hoarding can be related to compulsive buying (such as never passing up a bargain), the compulsive acquisition of free items (such as collecting flyers), or the compulsive search for perfect or unique items (which may not appear to others as unique, such as an old container).
<h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #cc9933; line-height: 18px;"> Symptoms and Behavior</h4>
Someone who hoards may exhibit the following:

Inability to throw away possessions

Severe anxiety when attempting to discard items

Great difficulty categorizing or organizing possessions

Indecision about what to keep or where to put things

Distress, such as feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed by possessions

Suspicion of other people touching items

Obsessive thoughts and actions: fear of running out of an item or of needing it in the future; checking the trash for accidentally discarded objects

Functional impairments, including loss of living space, social isolation, family or marital discord, financial difficulties, health hazards

<h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #cc9933; line-height: 18px;"> Reasons for Hoarding</h4>
People hoard because they believe that an item will be useful or valuable in the future. Or they feel it has sentimental value, is unique and irreplaceable, or too big a bargain to throw away. They may also consider an item a reminder that will jog their memory, thinking that without it they won’t remember an important person or event. Or because they can’t decide where something belongs, it’s better just to keep it.

Hoarding may be present on its own or as a symptom of another disorder. Those most often associated with hoarding are obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression.

Although less often, hoarding may be associated with an eating disorder, pica (eating non-food materials), Prader-Willi syndrome (a genetic disorder), psychosis, or dementia.
<h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #cc9933; line-height: 18px;"> Diminished Quality of Life</h4>
A lack of functional living space is common among hoarders, who may also live in unhealthy or dangerous conditions. Hoarders often live with broken appliances and without heat or other necessary comforts. They cope with malfunctioning systems rather than allow a qualified person into their home to fix a problem.

Hoarding also causes anger, resentment, and depression among family members, and it can affect the social development of children. Unlivable conditions may lead to separation or divorce, eviction, and even loss of child custody. Hoarding may lead to serious financial problems, as well.

Learn about staging an intervention.
<h4 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #cc9933; line-height: 18px;"> Hoarding vs. Collecting</h4>
Hoarding is not the same as collecting. In general, collectors have a sense of pride about their possessions and they experience joy in displaying and talking about them. They usually keep their collection organized, feel satisfaction when adding to it, and budget their time and money.

Those who hoard usually experience embarrassment about their possessions and feel uncomfortable when others see them. They have clutter, often at the expense of livable space, feel sad or ashamed after acquiring additional items, and they are often in debt.

Fugen Neziroglu, PhD, ABBP, ABPP, is Director of the Bio-Behavioral Institute, in Great Neck, New York

Looks to me like another "study" that someone did to justify keeping their jobs. I've read lots of psychological studies and many of them use the same wording to describe(illnesses?) that are as different as night and day, yet they all seem to have the same symptoms/anger/resentment/jealousy and on and on and on.

Getting to be everything now is going to be classified as a "disease and/or illness" even though it is a choice for most. Used to go round and round with a friend/co-worker of mine that was a member of AA. He went on about how this is a disease and even though my dad(and I use that term very loosely)was an alcoholic I somehow made a choice not to fall into that same category.

Gamble too much? You got a disease or mental illness. Buy too many things? You have a disease or mental illness. Pinch pennies or are frugal(which I am)? You have a disease of mental illness. And I am sure some want to solidify keeping their jobs so will say "a study needs to be done to make sure these are seen as a disease or mental illness.

Seems like you can kill people and not be an evil person, you have a disease or a mental illness. If you like to give money away if you have a lot of it? I've seen some "in the study field" say these people have a disease of some type of mental illness. They haven't come up with a name for it, but I am sure with a few million $$$$ studies they will think of one for it.

Only my opinion now but I am basing some of what I have typed here on having read lots of human studies of the body and the mind and explanations both pro and con from different clinical seminars I attended or other similar types of forums.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

minkbunny — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 14:44:42 GMT

That is a very sad story. I think that the hoarding that we see now on tv shows where there is animal filth, old empty containers, newspapers, etc. would have to be a type of mental illness.

I also think that compulsive shopping and cluttered living is being lumped into this category and is an entirely different problem.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

Catfancy — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 14:45:46 GMT

You can get by with murder if you can prove you are crazy!

Re: 66 year old hoarder

brii — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:01:36 GMT

Sad.

So are people who shop compulsively.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

Mj12 — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:22:31 GMT

On 6/16/2014 brii said:
Sad.

So are people who shop compulsively.

And that is just as destructive, IMO. It is sad.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

JuJu Squeezie — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:41:31 GMT

The spouses of hoarders or addicted shoppers are between a rock and a hard place. They have to keep the finances in check and need to be the stable adult to their mentally ill and sometimes belittling, argumentative partner. They are saving the family's finances while being hated for trying to control the out of control spending and hoarding.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

kittymomNC — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 15:52:18 GMT

On 6/16/2014 minkbunny said:
That is a very sad story. I think that the hoarding that we see now on tv shows where there is animal filth, old empty containers, newspapers, etc. would have to be a type of mental illness.

I also think that compulsive shopping and cluttered living is being lumped into this category and is an entirely different problem.

minkbunny, I think you said that very well - there's a big difference in what causes people to be true "hoarders", and just compulsive shopping, collecting, and cluttered living. It's too bad that they are being lumped together, because it makes it that much harder for the true illness to be recognized.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

minkbunny — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:00:03 GMT

Thanks kittymom,

Compulsive shopping/spending fills a void for many and fills many lonely hours I would imagine. In past times, it was more obvious as a person was literally going out and carrying back in packages. Now, with the internet and 24/7 shopping with delivery to the door, a person can really be enabled.

Very sad as their time and money could be put to a more constructive use helping others, I am sure.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

gazelle77 — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:00:19 GMT

I would be even more concerned about Fire danger.... let alone the bacteria, rats and other disgusting bugs, and the mold in many of these hoarder homes have. These kinds of homes are breeding grounds for rats.....

I go on an long walk almost every day, and walk by a home.... it must be a hoarder home... tents and old appliances and junk and all kinds of stuff OUTSIDE... just a MESS. I wonder why the neighbors put up with the mess. We live in a home division with rules about such things... I am thinking about writing them an email about the home.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

faeriemoon — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:38:11 GMT

On the hoarding shows there are those who have homes loaded with garbage and filth as well as those who have their "treasures" neatly boxed and stacked.

Both are hoarders, but there are definitely differences.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

depglass — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:43:13 GMT

I found a loophole. Value. I collect antique glassware. Some might say hoard.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

kittymomNC — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 17:10:55 GMT

On 6/16/2014 hckynut said:
On 6/16/2014 kittymomNC said:

Looks to me like another "study" that someone did to justify keeping their jobs. I've read lots of psychological studies and many of them use the same wording to describe(illnesses?) that are as different as night and day, yet they all seem to have the same symptoms/anger/resentment/jealousy and on and on and on.

Getting to be everything now is going to be classified as a "disease and/or illness" even though it is a choice for most. Used to go round and round with a friend/co-worker of mine that was a member of AA. He went on about how this is a disease and even though my dad(and I use that term very loosely)was an alcoholic I somehow made a choice not to fall into that same category.

Gamble too much? You got a disease or mental illness. Buy too many things? You have a disease or mental illness. Pinch pennies or are frugal(which I am)? You have a disease of mental illness. And I am sure some want to solidify keeping their jobs so will say "a study needs to be done to make sure these are seen as a disease or mental illness.

Seems like you can kill people and not be an evil person, you have a disease or a mental illness. If you like to give money away if you have a lot of it? I've seen some "in the study field" say these people have a disease of some type of mental illness. They haven't come up with a name for it, but I am sure with a few million $$$$ studies they will think of one for it.

Only my opinion now but I am basing some of what I have typed here on having read lots of human studies of the body and the mind and explanations both pro and con from different clinical seminars I attended or other similar types of forums.

Was it really necessary to underline the whole article I posted? This is the type of attitude that still attaches a stigma to mental illness. "Reading lots of studies" does not make you an expert - whichever mental illnesses you've read about. Experiencing them, either yourself or with a close family member or friend, gives a whole different perspective. And no, they don't all have the same symptoms as you say.

I've experienced alcoholism up close and personal (and no, I'm not an alcoholic) - and the kind of attitude you have about it sounds like a throwback to the 60's when it was just beginning to be recognized as a disease. And it IS a disease - addiction itself is a disease. Some people are genetically pre-programmed to be more susceptible to the effects of alcohol, just like some women are genetically pre-programmed to be more likely to contract breast cancer - you are apparently one of the lucky ones, to have had an alcoholic father and escaped it yourself. I'm sorry you experienced that in your life, but good for you that you were able to live your life differently from your father. Some people are just stronger than others.

You make it sound like people want everything to be attributable to a "disease" or mental illness. Everyone who kills is not mentally ill .. everyone who gambles is not mentally ill ... everyone who buys too much is not mentally ill ...everyone who drinks too much is not an alcoholic .... Do you also think depression and anxiety disorders are not mental illness? How about schizophrenia? Or ADHD? How many more should I name? There are lots of mental illnesses, just like there are lots of physical illnesses. And I daresay many who are affected by them would much prefer a physical illness. In fact, if mental illness were recognized and treated as it should be (and maybe now due to the new laws it will be), there would be far fewer physical illnesses to deal with, because a lot of mental illnesses do cause true physical illness. I had a doctor say to me once "Do you realize that depression is a life-threatening illness?" Oh, yeah, I do.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

Catitude — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 17:13:24 GMT

On 6/16/2014 minkbunny said:
That is a very sad story. I think that the hoarding that we see now on tv shows where there is animal filth, old empty containers, newspapers, etc. would have to be a type of mental illness.

I also think that compulsive shopping and cluttered living is being lumped into this category and is an entirely different problem.

Re: 66 year old hoarder

scotttie — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 17:17:50 GMT

On 6/16/2014 minkbunny said:
That is a very sad story. I think that the hoarding that we see now on tv shows where there is animal filth, old empty containers, newspapers, etc. would have to be a type of mental illness.

I also think that compulsive shopping and cluttered living is being lumped into this category and is an entirely different problem.

My SIL used to clean for a woman who had boxes and boxes and boxes of unopened QVC products!

Re: 66 year old hoarder

Emma bunting — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 17:20:36 GMT

On 6/16/2014 scotttie said:
On 6/16/2014 minkbunny said:
That is a very sad story. I think that the hoarding that we see now on tv shows where there is animal filth, old empty containers, newspapers, etc. would have to be a type of mental illness.

I also think that compulsive shopping and cluttered living is being lumped into this category and is an entirely different problem.

My SIL used to clean for a woman who had boxes and boxes and boxes of unopened QVC products!

Ugh. This is so sad!

Re: 66 year old hoarder

sidsmom — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 17:38:41 GMT

What's the difference between having a mental illness vs not having a mental illness?

It's all about the "WHY"....and only you know the difference. That space between your ears determines that tipping point.

That's why it's so important to fix the "WHY" before anything else. Willpower might factor in waaaaay down the road, but for some people, they can spend their entire life trying to figure out the "WHY".