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26 April 2018

Am I A Hoarder - Your Official Guide

By Kathleen Wright


All homes have small amounts of clutter and dirt that get cleared up and organized weekly or monthly. When this clutter and dirt starts to accumulate to the point where general living conditions are compromised and the interior becomes hazardous with goods and debris, it could constitute a hoarding situation. To answer the question, am I a hoarder requires a look at its definition, behaviors and the psychological implications behind it.

Hoarding is identified as a severe anxiety disorder in which affected persons accumulate and hold onto items including clothing, food and general belongings but also pets. Once the items are acquired, there is much resistance to releasing these goods that have been used or no longer needed. The buildup of these goods causes a series of problems from unhealthy living conditions, to increased anxiety and compromised well-being.

If you suspect being a hoarder or know someone who is affected by hoarding, it is important to receive a fair psychological assessment and to take steps to seek assistance. Hoarding is characterized by obsessive compulsive symptoms that leave individuals to hold onto goods to relieve their anxiety. To determine whether hoarding has affected your life requires a look into the psychology behind the behaviors.

If you are slowly building up items that are no longer useful or under the impression it will be useful some time in the future, your home is eventually filled with stuff. Living spaces are taken over by furniture, goods and food that leave open areas consumed and create health risk as debris forms. When clutter reaches epic proportions, even bedrooms are taken over and many people sleep between the clutter.

Every resident will store goods or hold onto special items but these are maintained, cleaned and organized. Hoarders cannot maintain a level of organization and most items are lost in the large piles of clutter including the formation of dirt and debris. Hoarders are unable to relieve themselves of goods and tend to accumulate more, restricting the ability to walk through the house or reach private areas such as the bedroom.

Items that become part of a hoarders life include plastics, clothing, food and papers to garden items, mechanical parts and other objects that cannot be used. There is no order to these goods and heaps accumulate inside and outside of the hoe to the point of moving in between the clutter and sleeping areas. It is important to note the lack of control and an extreme inability to let go of these items.

The characteristic mark of an OCD hoarder is the severe anxiety associated with separating from these stored goods. Many people who sort through these items with the assistance of friends and family are unable to release the items without experiencing a high level of anxiety and stress. Hoarders will create many excuses as to why the stored goods cannot be released.

If you are suffering from hoarding or suspect someone of being a hoarder, it is important to seek the appropriate psychological help. Consulting with a professional therapist aims to alleviate the anxiety and OCD symptoms affecting the ability to live a healthy, organized life. Do not continue to live with the overwhelming clutter placing a hold on your life.




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