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.

While many people accumulate many things that could remain in large heaps in and around the home, the hoarder is unorganized. Keeping a significant number of goods that does not constitute hoarding includes useful items and knowledge of where these items are located. Hoarders simply pile and pile objects without knowledge of where specific items are located and cannot organize their clutter.

Hoarders can accumulate a wide range of goods from plastic and metal parts to clothing, papers and food or pets. Items can be stored inside the home or in outdoor areas where it becomes excessive and makes accessibility difficult. Individuals cannot maintain the proper hygiene and find it difficult to clear dirt and debris that becomes trapped in the piles of goods.

This condition is marked by its OCD symptoms and leaves many people with the experience of high levels of anxiety and difficulties when attempting to remove specific goods. In most cases, family becomes involved in hoarding cases to help affected members remove unnecessary clutter and improve their health. Unfortunately, these efforts are often met with resistance because of the stress is causes.

When hoarding is consuming your life, finding support from a therapist will help breakdown the compulsiveness and poor organization that most experience. In consultation with an experienced practitioner, it is important to determine how to live a healthier, balanced lifestyle. Clutter can be resolved and a better way of living achieved if the right help is sought.




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