WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM MY SERVICES, PT. 3?
This article is the third of a multi-part series in which I will outline persons who could benefit from services and explain why. Today, I will explain why hoarders might benefit from my services.
What is Hoarding Disorder?
Hoarding disorder is a recognised mental health condition that was officially added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)in 2013. Before its inclusion,people commonly viewed it as a symptom of other disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
The NHS defines hoarding disorder as follows:
A hoarding disorder is where someone acquires an excessive number of items and stores them in a chaotic manner, usually resulting in unmanageable amounts of clutter. The items can be of little or no monetary value.
A hoarding disorder is a mental health condition characterised by persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. This difficulty results in clutter that disrupts the ability to use living spaces for their intended purpose and causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of functioning.
You can tell whether someone suffers from hoarding disorder if they display one or more of the following:
- Persistent difficulty discarding items: The person feels a strong need to save items and experiences distress at the thought of getting rid of them.
- Accumulation of possessions: Items accumulate to the point that they congest and clutter active living areas, making them unusable (e.g., kitchens, bathrooms, or beds).
- Distress or impairment: The hoarding behaviour causes significant distress or problems in functioning, such as conflicts with family, health risks, or legal issues.
Hoarders can struggle to part with and acquire random items, but newspapers, clothes, plastic bags and junk mail are common.
Why does hoarding present a problem?
So why is the above a problem? There are several reasons.
Hoarding provideshealth and safety risks: Clutter can create fire hazards, unsanitary conditions, and even a risk of injury.
Hoarding can also lead to isolation due to social withdrawal and being unable to have visitors in your house.
Hoarding can interfere with everyday life if you cannot use rooms in your house for their intended purpose. For example, unable to cook meals due to excessive clutter in the kitchen.
Further, having so many items in your living space can take over your everyday life, as you constantly think about them, having to move them to get around the house.
Reasons for hoarding
The reasons why people start hoarding are not fully understood.
It’s not clear what causes hoarding disorder. Genetics, brain function and stressful life events are being studied as possible causes.
Hoarding can be a symptom of another condition. For example, someone with mobility problems may be physically unable to clear the clutter they have acquired, and people with learning disabilities or people developing dementia may be unable to categorise and dispose of items.
Hoarding is often associated with mental health problems, such as severe depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Many people who hoard have had a deprived childhood, with a lack of material objects or a poor relationship with other members of their family.
People with hoarding often come from a cluttered home and have a family history of hoarding.
How can we help people who hoard?
Imagine someone moving house or clearing their office at the end of their working life. Getting a skip or a charity to collect unwanted things is relatively easy. Those people are unlikely to be emotionally attached to all but a few items. They have no problem parting with old payslips, newspaper cuttings or bank statements.
On the other hand, someone who hoards is strongly emotionally attached to stuff that has no value. They struggle to part with things as it brings up strong emotions.
People who suffer from hoarding disorders, therefore, need different treatment and a different approach than someone who doesn’t. Many hoarders do not see it as a problem or have little awareness of how it’s affecting their life or the lives of others.
Some may realise they have a problem but feel extremely ashamed, humiliated or guilty about it and thus do not seek help.
People who hoard need to seek both psychological help to treat the underlying mental health conditions, as well as hire a professional organiser who can assist with the decluttering.
Not all professional organisers are trained or have the aptitude or will to work with people who hoard. I have undertaken specialist hoarding training with Hoarding Disorders UK to be that person. I now have a practical and theoretical understanding of how to best deal with my clients. Alongside formal training, I bring patience, you need this by the bucket load, tissues and the ability to make a cup of tea when it gets too much for some of my clients.
trabantbettina
Bettina Anna Trabant, Founder of Life Organised, your professional organising and decluttering service in East London. Eco-conscious minimalist and avid tea drinker,