Crossing the Hoarder-Line 11/03/2011
 Recently, a young reader (via his counselor) contacted me about sharing information on how to deal with hoarding. The caring reader lives in a household of hoarders and wanted to help others who also deal with hoarding by sharing the following link. I would like to thank the young student who contacted me. It is brave and thoughtful to reach out to others in this difficult situation. Dealing with hoarding can be a complicated and stressful issue. Although there is no easy solution to this problem, the following article at Curio Cabinet Spot website contains 5 steps in the right direction to help overcome hoarding. Thanks again to my reader for this helpful information! http://www.curiocabinetspot.com/tips-to-overcome-hoarding 3 Signs of Crossing the Hoarder-line You’ve seen the show Hoarders and Hoarding: Buried Alive and you’re a little concerned. Your home isn’t as bad as the homes on those shows – not even close. Still, the clutter is multiplying and you seem to be running out of space to put things away. You collect things - books, clothes, movies, music, tools, fabric, toys, and/or a multitude of other items. Maybe you’ve started to notice compulsive purchases that seem to mysteriously accumulate. Or, you realize that you have a really difficult time letting go of material items. Overall, you are overwhelmed and stressed out with all the stuff piling up in your home. Do you simply need help organizing? Or, are you concerned you may have a hoarding problem? This article will help you determine when you, or someone you know, have crossed the hoarder-line. Unable to Let Go of Stuff It’s natural to want to hold onto items you find valuable. However, when every single item has value, and you hold onto every single item you come across, it may be a sign of hoarding. Reasons why you hold onto items may include:
Storing Becomes Out of Control Closets and storage sheds are no longer enough for storage. Each room becomes a storage room – the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, and even the bathroom. Houses are built with rooms assigned for specific functions. Homes are made to be a place of rest and refuge. When every room starts overflowing with storage and refuse, there may be a hoarding problem. Clutter Becomes Hazardous The most obvious way to tell if there is a hoarding problem is when the clutter becomes dangerous, causing health and fire hazards. This is what you have seen on television shows about extreme hoarding. When there is limited or no walking space in the house, injuries can occur from tripping over clutter or the clutter falling on you. Clutter becomes a health hazard when there is rotting food, garbage, and dirt collecting in the house, day after day. As the amount of things grow unimaginable and unmanageable, fire hazards also become a major concern. If you recognize these signs in your home, or with someone you know, there may be a problem with hoarding. If so, please seek help. I am no expert on this complex topic, so, those were just a few signs of crossing the hoarder-line. There are a multitude of resources to find more information on hoarding and how to get help. On the Neat Geek resource page, I have posted a couple of books about compulsive hoarding. Also, here are a few links on more information on hoarding: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hoarding/DS00966/DSECTION=symptoms http://www.ocfoundation.org/hoarding/ http://www.harthosp.org/InstituteOfLiving/AnxietyDisordersCenter/CompulsiveHoarding/default.aspx Again, please seek help if you, or someone you know, may have a hoarding problem. Getting help and support for dealing with a hoarding problem is just a step closer to having a healthy home. CommentsLeave a Reply | Neat Geek DefinedNeat Geek, noun ArchivesDecember 2011 Categories |
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