| Are you worried that you might be hoarder or maybe | | | | cover of Better Homes and Gardens there are those |
| just a lousy housekeeper? There is fine line between | | | | who are at the extreme end of the hoarder continuum. |
| being a collector of unique items and someone who | | | | For these individuals their compulsion to keep them |
| has a serious obsession with hanging one to items that | | | | virtual prisoners and often outside intervention is |
| should have been disposed of a long time ago. | | | | required to help. If you feel overwhelmed by the chaos |
| Individuals who feel the compulsion to keep things that | | | | around you and you feel you cannot even invite |
| others might say have no real value and those things | | | | people to your home, something more may be going |
| begin to take over the space they live in, might meet | | | | on. Individuals who are simply unable to remove |
| the definition of one who is a hoarder. | | | | anything from any pile building in the home need to |
| Typically, such individuals simply cannot make the | | | | take a deeper look at what is really going on. |
| decision to toss anything out. These items might include | | | | Many reach a level of such shame that they are |
| food, packaging, clothing, and even pets. These | | | | unable to ask for help, but without assistance the |
| possessions begin to "take over" the house, coving | | | | problem will not go away. While shame in the |
| furniture, floor space, and any other free corner | | | | appearance of the home develops, understanding that |
| imaginable. Piles of debris can be knee-deep or higher | | | | hoarding is categorized as a mental illness creates |
| throughout the home. | | | | another level of embarrassment. It is important to |
| Hoarding is a mental disorder. Professionals believe this | | | | know that there is nothing "wrong" with you if you |
| disorder is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder | | | | have anxiety, OCD, ADD or any of the other |
| (OCD). OCD is anxiety based and hoarders to tend to | | | | diagnosis's. Multiple reasons exist as to why you may |
| have unrealistic fears about getting rid of items | | | | have one or more diagnosis. Most importantly, there is |
| because they believe they may one day need that | | | | nothing wrong with turning to others for assistance in |
| item. Some Psychologists also believe hoarding could | | | | overcoming a hoarding problem. |
| be associated with Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. | | | | Beyond just a "junk" packed house, hoarding can |
| In the case of ADD people tend to have trouble | | | | cause unsanitary conditions creating a real health |
| making decisions and tend to procrastinate or have | | | | hazard, as well as become a fire hazard with the |
| difficulty staying on task. They are poor organizers | | | | accumulation of too much stuff. If you suspect you or |
| therefore contributing to the disarray in their homes. | | | | a loved one is struggling with this disorder reach to a |
| While many people consider themselves collectors and | | | | professional for assistance. |
| some believe their homes would never make the | | | | |