April 7, 2013
Compulsive hoarding (or pathological collecting, or, informally, packratting) is a
pattern of behavior that is characterized by the excessive acquisition of and
inability or unwillingness to discard large quantities of objects that cover
the living areas of the home and cause significant distress or impairment.
(Wikepedia)
Symptoms
Compulsive hoarding in its worst forms can cause fires, unclean conditions
(e.g. rat and roach infestations), injuries from tripping on clutter, and other
health and safety hazards.
A few symptoms hoarders might experience are:
1. They tend to hold onto a large number of items that most people would
consider not useful or valuable. For example:
• Old catalogues and newspapers
• Things that might be useful for making crafts
• Clothes that "might" be worn one day
• Broken things/trash
• Freebies and junk mail
2. The home is so cluttered that many parts are inaccessible and can no longer
be used for intended purpose. For example:
• Beds that cannot be slept in
• Kitchens that cannot be used for food preparation, refrigerators filled
to the brim with rotting food, stovetops with combustibles such as junk mail as
well as old food piled on top of burners.
• Tables that cannot be used for dining
• Chairs or sofas that cannot be used
• Filthy unsanitary bathrooms; piles of human feces collected in areas of
the home, sometimes there are animal feces over the floors of the home, giant
bags of dirty diapers hoarded for many years.
• Tubs, showers, and sinks filled with items such that they can not be
used for washing or bathing. Hoarders would thus possibly forgo bathing.
3. The clutter and mess is so bad it causes illness, distress, and
impairment. For example, they:
•Do not allow visitors such as family and friends, or repair and
maintenance professionals because the clutter embarrasses them.
• Keep the shades drawn so no one can see inside
• Get into a lot of arguments with family members about the clutter
• Are at risk of fire, falling, infestation or eviction
• Feel depressed or anxious much of the time because of the clutter
-Wikepedia-
Many people might claim that, at least at one point in
their lives, they could be classified as a “pack rat” or a “closet clutterer.”
However, compulsive hoarding is an anxiety disorder that involves much more
than keeping extra papers and magazines around, or collecting CDs under your
desk.
Severe compulsive hoarding can interfere with a
person’s activities–such as cooking, cleaning, showering, and sleeping–because
piles of newspapers or clothes are found in the sink, in the shower, on the
bed, and in every corner of a home.
There is more awareness of the issue today, due in
part to the two reality TV series: “Hoarders” and “Hoarding: Buried Alive.”
Are you a hoarder -
questionnaire
Because of the clutter or number of
possessions, how difficult is it for you to use the rooms in your home?
To what extent do you have difficulty
discarding (or recycling, selling, giving away) ordinary things that other
people would get rid of?
To what extent do you currently have a
problem with collecting free things or buying more things than you need or can
use or can afford?
To what extent do you experience emotional
distress because of clutter, difficulty discarding or problems with buying or
acquiring things?
To what extent do you experience
impairment in your life (daily routine, job / school, social activities, family
activities, financial difficulties) because of clutter, difficulty discarding,
or problems with buying or acquiring things?
(Tolin, D.F., Frost, R.O., & Steketee,
G. (2010). A brief interview for assessing compulsive hoarding: The Hoarding
Rating Scale-Interview. Psychiatry Research, 178, 147-152.)
Well,
it is good to know that I am not a hoarder – although the part about the
freebies and “things that might be useful for crafts” seems to hit home a bit.
Actually, I am a Messie only occasionally. If I am in a hurry and don’t have a
home for the stuff yet, it gets plopped on any free surface.
Courage.
I shall keep my eyes on the prize. And try to find (new) homes for lots of this
stuff.
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