TV and Movies

[grandma2pkmh]

I'm watching the same show. She is unbelievable!!  Sometimes I wonder if these people are real or if it is scripted and they just pile stuff in for the shock effect.

[SeaMaiden]

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@CherryHugs wrote:

Sometimes I do feel some of the people are truly just lazy and dont want to clean!! Wonder if that is True???

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@CherryHugs   WAY WAY beyond that. It is some tie in to emotional issues....like any mental state. Same with the 600 pound people....it is not just about overeating....

[Renata22]

@SeaMaiden Always prompts me to do some cleaning.

[SandySparkles]

My heart bleeds for people that live in such deplorable, inconveivable squalor. It is, as several posters have pointed out, a true mental illness. I cannot imagine ANYONE that would do it for "scripted" television. The one positive takeaway from this show is the offer of mental health services and follow-up. 

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

[sidsmom]

If you watch these shows long enough, you'll see the pattern.

Everyone was traumatized in some way (death, divorce, etc)

and their life become encapsulated at that time period.

Life stopped & they're reliving that period over & over again

and not moving forward..and it just has a compounding effect. 

[Winkk]

I saw that show too and was wondering how they get on the show?  Most of these people are embarrassed or defiant about their living conditions so who notified TLC and why did they give permission to film their home?  Do they get paid to be on?

[Havarti]

Way back when the show first started years ago they featured much milder levels of hoarding.  I enjoyed watching then, the sorting, decision making process, the reorganization, the place getting spruced up and back in order and the joy of the people seeing the home they loved restored to a usable condition.  I could actually relate to a much lesser degree as I suffer from TMS (too much stuff).  I am not to the level of the people on the shows, but can relate to how quickly a little too much can become way too much.  Now, the situations are so extreme I just can't look at them, can't relate to them, can't imagine living in those environments.  

One thing I was always amazed about was the fact that the counselors always seemed to try to be tuned in to the sensitivities of the hoarder while still moving them toward the goal.  The hoarders nearly always seem to view their possessions as their treasures and have such a hard time parting with them. Then, the counselors have the "Junk" haulers arrive and they start pitching those treasure in the "Junk" truck.  It must be heartbreaking to have things you love treated this way and perhaps even humiliating to have the "Junk" truck parked all day in your driveway being filled with the contents of your home.  It seems to lack sensitivity to the hoarder who clearly already has mental and possibly physical issues.  You would think these "Junk" companies would have a truck they could send to sensitive situations (including seniors moving to downsize to a care center) that did not leave the resident feeling like their life's belongings are headed to the dump (even if they are).  JMHO

[sidsmom]

I've always thought the counselors are VERY sensitive to the hoarder.

'...haulers arrive and they start pitching...'

None of the items are thrown out without the hoarder's approval.

And they must be truthful that items are being permanently discarded.  

If not, the hoarder loses trust and cleanup comes to a halt.

I can't imagine lying to a Senior about the demise of their things.

Truth is the foundation for healing.

Therapy 101.

[Mombo1]

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@CelticCrafter wrote:

I had to stop watching this show altogether.  It would give me anxiety.

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Me too!   I can’t even stand dishes in my sink.  Clutter makes me nervous.   

[phoenixbrd]

I have compassion for a hoarder.  The mess is frequently a manifestation of a troubled past (often seen with obesity also).  That's why it is critical for the counselor involved to be understanding and realize it isn't just about a high powered cleaning crew.  I don't believe it is a simple...just do it or about laziness.  It is moving through the illness, death, divorce, abuse, etc. (On a physical level, the overpurchasing/overeating releases dopamine that offers temporary relief.) Usually the hoarder is not happy with the situation, just stuck.  What a reward for a counselor to offer kindness and allow a safe place for the hoarder to express and work through the trauma while releasing the wreckage that resulted.