We are not medical professionals, and we may not diagnose or prescribe. Our interest lies in clearing hoarded houses, when someone in authority decides the time has come. We are also professional valuers, and this helps us keep precious possessions away from skips. We always adopt a hoarder-centred approach, because we are mindful the value belongs to them.
Our Topic From a Hoarder-Centred Approach
Hoarding is not usually a big issue in the participant’s mind. Nature abhors a vacuum, as we well know. Therefore, if there are empty shelves, they find things to fill them. The hoarder finds this process constructive, and so it becomes a pleasant pastime.
But hoarders do not store things of current, collectible value. They accumulate anything they believe might be useful in future – literally. And because they have no immediate use for these things, a hoarder-centred approach is stick it anywhere they can find.
When a Habit Becomes a Challenge
Many unproductive habits, if left to fester, begin to interfere with our daily lives. That’s because our daily routines may drop into second place behind them. The almost inevitable result is the hoarder cleans and tidies their home less regularly, and starts forgetting to pay bills. They may also neglect their personal hygiene too.
A Data-Centred Approach to Hoarding
Data hoarding is becoming a real issue, with some sites offering almost unlimited storage. The service is free to the user, although the providers require data centres with large carbon footprints. Perhaps this is the issue that will finally elevate this issue in the public mind?
We definitely need to do something to accelerate recycling materials, instead of poaching more from the planet. Avery Associates is ahead of the pack here. We scrupulously recycle every hoarded item we clear, because we believe in doing what is right.
Is Hoarding a Physical or Mental State?
We say ‘state’ rather than ‘condition’ because compulsive hoarding is a lifestyle issue, not an illness in itself. Although Royal College of Psychiatrists does note a correlation with other psycho social conditions:
Factors Arguing Against a Hoarder-Centred Approach
- A chronic, debilitating physical illness can result in fatigue and disorganization.
- Depression can cause us to lose interest in normal, everyday activities.
- Alcohol and drug abuse can affect our ability to look after ourselves properly.
- Socially-isolated autistic people may find comfort in collecting things.
- Dementia brings confusing memories causing forgetfulness about routines.
- Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and learning disorders affect normal functioning.
Is a Hoarder-Centred Approach on the Back Foot?
Those ‘hard, deterministic factors’ we just mentioned run counter the approach we prefer. That is of a group of quirky people who wish nobody harm, and in most cases hardly affect them at all. Perhaps there’s a middle ground to a pure hoarder-centred approach? Perhaps they do have a common source?
Perhaps Hoarding is a Syndrome After All?
A syndrome is a medical term for a group of indicators that may occur simultaneously. This approach leads us down a line of reasoning that hoarding is the result of the confluence of those factors. In other words, hoarders don’t have a ‘disease’ called hoarding. They simply have a different set of values to most of the rest of us.
Royal College of Psychiatrists seems more in favour of a hoarder-centred approach, as it shares how the habit arises.
- There is a body of evidence hoarders had deprived childhoods, when they had to scrape and save.
- However, they often only come to our attention in their fifties, when the pattern is well entrenched.
- Personality type may also have an influence. Perfectionists and recluses are more likely to behave irrationally.
- The hoarding symptom may be most likely to appear among those who suffered recent emotional loss.
When Compulsive Hoarding Demands a Response
Hence the ‘jury is divided’ over whether a hoarder-centred approach is the best way to approach this topic. However, there is one thing over which all the experts agree, and that is severe hoarding demands our attention.
- A severely hoarded home can become infested with mice, rats or cockroaches, often as a result of hoarding food.
- The sheer volume of the accumulation may make preparing food difficult, and emergency exit problematic.
We are not medical professionals at Avery Associates, and we may not diagnose or prescribe. Our interest lies in clearing hoarded houses, when someone in authority decides that time has arrived.
We are also professional valuators, and this helps us keep precious possessions away from skips. We always adopt a hoarder-centred approach, because we are mindful they deserve our respect. Follow this link to review more customer feedback:
Avery Associates Review
Because of the contents of the flat it was a scenario where Avery Associates would make a payment to me. The deal was done and shortly thereafter Mr Avery and his team came to clear the flat. It was done very efficiently and the cleaning was also carried out well.
They had discovered a box of my mother’s old photographs, I didn’t know they were there. Rather than just taking the box as part of the clearance they left it for me…well done. No hesitation in giving them 5 stars. P Macavoy
