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Everyone concerned has a tough time dealing with hoarding. Even if their goods are taking over their lives and making their living space uncomfortable, someone who has started to hoard things in their house might not want to admit they have a problem. The appropriate attitude and cautious handling are necessary for this delicate scenario to prevent doing more harm than help.
Identifying when hoarding has become an issue is the first step. Many individuals keep things longer than required and have clutter in their houses. The sentimental tie to an old toy or piece of clothing or the thought that “I might need it one day” can, on occasion, spiral out of control and make everything appear significant and deserving of preservation.
Hoarding: What is it?
According to the Mayo Clinic, a hoarding condition is defined as having “chronic difficulty getting rid of or parting with goods due to a perceived urge to keep them.” Many hoarders amass items that other people would deem useless. Hoarders frequently accumulate rubbish, clothes, old newspapers, plastic bags, and garbage. However, hoarded objects are commonly in disarray and might overflow into the hoarder’s living space, unlike actual collections, which are typically meticulously selected and stored.
The distinction between hoarding and clutter
The majority of Americans frequently lament their houses’ clutter. Let us have stuff like that stack of stale magazines next to the couch or a few extra clothing fins in the closet. However, a few indicators indicate when clutter has crossed the line and become hoarding.
Hoarding must be addressed immediately since it may quickly spiral out of control and lead to dangerous living conditions. Hoarders’ houses may attract bugs and diseases like a magnet since clean homes are healthier. The inability to use certain parts of the house as planned is sometimes the first indication of hoarding. It’s time to think about fixing the issue if a visitor can’t sit on your sofa because there are papers heaped on top of it or if you can hardly ascend the stairs because of objects placed on each one. The collection of items only worsens if hoarding behavior persists, eventually blocking access to whole rooms.
If your house is a little disorganized, but you can clean it up before guests arrive, it may be time to declutter and reexamine your connection with your stuff, but it doesn’t qualify as hoarding.
CLUTTER & HOARDING
Although certain surfaces are cluttered or overflowing, rooms may still be used despite the clutter.
Every surface is covered in possessions, and big pieces of furniture are out of reach.
Old remote controls, wires that don’t fit certain appliances, user guides, and takeout menus are all kept in a “trash drawer.”
Nothing is discarded, and boxes or heaps of documents, cables, and unwanted mail amass.
The dishes from last night are in the sink, and small kitchen equipment, glasses, and spice jars are half arranged on the countertop.
The sink is inaccessible, there may be fruit flies, rats, or other pests, and rotten food is above the garbage can or left on the counter.
The steps need to be brought up since there are some household things and a few pieces of clothes there.
Only a short route amid heaps of books, boxes, papers, clothing, and other belongings allows access to the stairs.
What causes people to hoard?
In 2013, the anxiety disorder known as hoarding was recognized as a separate mental condition. Only 2 to 5 percent of people have been diagnosed with a hoarding condition, despite its popularity in popular culture because of TV episodes like Hoarders.
Anything from overall worry to a traumatic experience might lead to hoarding. The exact reasons we all keep things—because we have sentimental attachments to them or think they’re helpful or necessary—apply to hoarders. However, in hoarders, such attachment or neediness may become misdirected.
Additionally, the worry of running out of something when required might lead to hoarding. This may be due to a historical event, such as not having enough food or things, or the result of a single tragedy, such as a home fire. However, hoarding behavior can occasionally develop without any prior trauma or occurrence.
Five stages of hoarding
According on how serious it is, hoarding is sometimes divided into five degrees or phases. Which are:
Stage 1: Rather than being signs of hoarding, homes are frequently viewed as highly cluttered. The property is still tidy and secure, and all rooms and regions are accessible.
Stage 2: The house is starting to get overrun with possessions. One or two of the rooms may be challenging to navigate and smelly. Pet excrement may be found, there are signs of sloppy cleaning, and there may be mildew in the kitchen and bathroom. One exit may be unusable.
Stage 3: Limited living space and only one useable bedroom or bathroom. The house is filled with dust and food that has gone bad. It’s possible to see clutter from outside the home.
Stage 4: Sewage backup and other dangerous conditions may be present, along with flea and lice infestations. Food contamination and animal harm are widespread.
Stage 5: The fifth stage of hoarding is the worst. Since the kitchen and bathroom are useless due to rat infestations, human and animal waste has accumulated. The house has a lot of inaccessible spaces.