Hoarders (A&E)

I think many of us hate to "waste" stuff. I know I do but I just grit my teeth and out it goes. I'm happy to recycle anything I can, so that helps but I really prefer no clutter. I like "spaces" between my stuff. I don't like nor remember to dust so the less, the better. But I married a pack rat....make that a "recovering pack rat." I really think he's learned his lesson. It actually took moving to a new house to accomplish it but it worked and he was so embarrassed and vowed: Never again. And so far, so good. He just kept filling up the garage until he couldn't find anything anymore/ nor get into it anymore. Here, we now have a workable garage with tools, etc in their place, etc. I know it hard for a guy who's a gen'l contractor not to want lots of hardware but it got ridiculous.
And I guess I've gone on and on here, hoarding words!! sorry.:laugh

I have yet to move out of my old apartment (living now with mr buglover...really long story) and it is just sitting there like the most expensive storage unit ever! My friends are all gungho to come and help move all the stuff out but I'm too embarrassed by my clutter that I cannot bring myself to accept their invitations to work on it. Every month that goes by I keep saying, this weekend, we will clean out one room....it hasn't happened. I'm hoping once my son is done with his cancer treatments I can get the ba**s to go in and just throw everything away. I have lived without all of it for months, I don't really need it and I can save a ton of money!

Okay I will admit I watch both of the Hoarder shows, TLC and A&E, I am the biggest clean freak on the planet. Can someone please explain to me how someone who is on disability can afford to purchase all of this "treasure' on an SSI income & if they are so injured how do they lug these purchases home?
My son & I were playing ctach-up on the A&E version yesterday. They guy from Wildwood who had the arcade games & many, many doll versions of himself. My son was in Wildwood a few weeks ago & remembered seeing this guy and his arcade on the boardwalk. My son remembered this guy as soon as he saw his face...siad this guy had to be the creepiset human on the planet. No one was going into his arcade at all.

Funny you say that....seems like most of the Hoarders portrayed (on both shows!) are on disability.

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Originally Posted by jenniferboston1

Funny you say that....seems like most of the Hoarders portrayed (on both shows!) are on disability.

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I have a friend who has this problem and yes she is on disability but I think you need to realize that most people who have this problem are dealing with some serious depression issues in one form or the other...I know she is but she is finally working with a good therapist and have had some cleaning crews out to her house to help...I won't go into details about her life to me that is private but believe me when I tell you she has had reasons to be in the deep depression she has been in for years....but she is really trying but as stupid as it sounds the things mostly garbage just seem to be her comfort zone and when you have someone who is truly that sick in the mind I think it takes a lot to get them out of it and have them see their homes they way others do..cause most of the time they don't see it dsince they are so used to it

I get all of these hoarding shows mixed up. I did just see one with a man who has two small children (under 2) in a BAD trailer and yard. It was so horrific I literally shed a tear. CPS did take the kids for a little while, but let them back when he did a little improvement. It still looked unsafe and unsanitary IMO. I think CPS's standards are pretty low. Maybe they were scared of him. He did have loaded high powered rifles hanging on the walls. I'm not kidding.

When I see or read about people saying they are trying to work on their hoarding, it reminds me of what the professionals are always saying. The hoarding is a symptom of the real problem. Working on the mess and not addressing the real problem is only a temporary solution and will not help the person in the long run. Only therapy can deal with the real issues. THe clean up may keep them from arrest, fines or eviction, but it will return to that condition soon, if the person does not receive treatment.

What I would like to see are studies conducted on Hoarders that consists of various treatments. We know what they keep saying is the best treatment, but how do we know this? I wish some doctor or medical center would actually do some clinical studies and see what new treatments might work. It seems they are stuck saying and doing the same things and it doesn't appear to have a great success rate.

This might be of interest to you, Debb:

Treatment - Compulsive Hoarding | OCD | Depression & anxiety | Compulsive acquiring disorder

Thanks for that link! IT provides all kind of great information. It also says it's a difficult condition to treat and professionals don't really agree on the best way.

I'm all for therapy and support groups, support of family, meds, whatever works is great, but when I see people living in conditions that are life threatening, such as storing rotten food in the house, keeping feces in the house and hoarding animals that are sick and dying, I think that the normal course might take too long. Often times the people are also ignoring treatment of serious health problems, such as hypertension or diabetes.

What I would like to see at least a couple of times, is a different approach. I saw this approach in real life AND IT WORKED. You could end up with a family member who hates you, but at least you save their house and their life.

First of all seek local counsel. Get photos or video of the situation. Get letters from neigbors and other people who are afraid for the hoarder's safety, health and financial condition. Sometimes the person's medical doctor will help, because they fear the person is ignoring medical advice for serious illnesses. File a court action to seek the person declared incompetent and to have someone appointed their Guardian for medical and financial purposes. The court can appoint a family member who asks or a court appointed attorney to be the guardain. First the court will hear testimony and if grounds exists, the guardian will be apppointed.

The guardian will have the authority to make the decisions, such as clearing the house, removing anything and everything that is filthy or dangerous. The guardian controls the disability or SS check, so the person has no money to buy new junk. The person is incompetent, so they can't create contracts and borrow money to buy more junk. You can have the weekly garbage removed by force if necessary so that dirty paper products or empty cartons are not hoarded. In the meantime, require the person to attend counseling to help them accept the fact that you have saved their life. If they get it, fine. If not, then at least you have saved the person from death, disease and eviction.

I realize it's a big step, but honestly, I don't see that it's any worse of an approach than begging, pleading, yelling, crying and still getting little if anything accomplished. These people are losing the use of valuable property and endangering their health. That's why the laws to help them were created. I'm not saying it's the only way, but it is an option and I wish one of the Hoarding shows would air that approach and see what happens.

You're right, Debb. But it wouldn't make very good TV. :)

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Originally Posted by Poppy Fields

You're right, Debb. But it wouldn't make very good TV. :)

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Well, I'm not so sure about that. Granted, the courts wouldn't allow cameras in the courtroom, but it would be plenty of drama, because the hoarder is not going to be happy with having their home being cleaned up. And if the hoarder has little say in it, then there would be a lot more clearance in a shorter time. Instead of the hoarder having to argue and throw fits over keeping a dozen broken egg cartons, junk would be discarded faster and the hoarder could then focus on putting actual valuables into a place such as family photos, jewelry, china etc. I think that might be more interesting.

It may sound cruel, but IMO what the hoarders do is cruel to their family, neighbors, pets, etc. IMO to keep begging for change and it never happening, seems like enabling to me. I guess there's a fine line there. I've seen this approach work once. Maybe the approach isn't tried often.

Yes, I realize it's an illness.