A compulsive hoarder stores junk nobody wants, right? Wrong! A hoarder keeps possessions they believe are valuable, and they can’t help doing so. We explore the mind of a compulsive hoarder in this post. What makes them tick? Is there any way to help them stop?
A Journey Into a Compulsive Hoarder’s Mind
We’re all different of course, and we need to learn to accept this. There are many shades of hoarders too. Therefore what follows does not match a particular compulsive person’s mind. Although it does provide an overview of a topic nobody pretends to fully understand. What we do know includes the following:
- A compulsive hoarder has a powerful drive to have more things.
- But they have difficulty deciding which things are more important.
- Having more possessions make them feel positive about life.
- Therefore, they become very upset when someone removes them.
- As their collection stacks up, it encroaches onto their living space.
- They quite often quarrel with their loved ones about this situation.
- The quality of their life deteriorates due to anxiety and depression
A Garage Completely Blocked with Stuff (© Avery Associates)
But a hoarder’s greatest difficulty often arises from the fact the rest of us have little understanding. In fact, to be honest we have no idea what happens in the mind of a compulsive hoarder. It is as if we live on separate planets and everybody gets frustrated!
This Sounds Like a Dedicated Collector I Know
Well, there certainly are overlaps, although hoarding and collecting are not the same thing. A collector has a narrow focus, and their collection may hold considerable value on the open market if you consult an expert. However, if the items are relatively valueless, they still display them with considerable pride.
Compulsive hoarders, on the other hand work completely differently. They make little, or more often no effort to organize their stuff. It piles up in one room until it spreads to the next. If not stopped it takes over the bathroom and the kitchen, making the home almost completely uninhabitable. A visit to a doctor becomes unavoidable.
Other Stuff Seizing Minds of Compulsive Hoarders
The gear hoarders collect extends way beyond newspapers and packaging materials. There’s a saying ‘anything is worth collecting if chosen correctly’. Much the same applies to collections of hoarders too!
HOARDING PETS
Animal hoarding can occur when a person can’t say no to another animal. These can be hamsters, tropical fish, stray dogs etc. Moreover a hoarder does not have to keep them at home. Compulsive feeding of these feral cats would be an example of this.
The common denominator, as we now know is an inability to know when to stop, and the pleasure of every fresh acquisition. But the tragedy is the hoarder may not be able to care for the animals properly, and so they spread disease.
There’s little to be gained – except for the animals – from calling the animal welfare. That’s because, in mind of a compulsive hoarder they honestly believe they are doing the right thing, and will start another collection.
It may also happen they have a stronger emotional bond with the animals, than with humans who criticize them. We strongly recommend not interfering with a situation like this directly. Rather call your Council, and let the experts take over.
DIGITAL HOARDING
Apparently unlimited data storage on computers, and compact discs have become the modern hoarder’s paradise. It has become their secret world where nobody else may go. However, the overall panic is the same if anyone tries to delete their files.
The hoarder’s logic is the same, whether the data is on PC, DVD, CD or virtual. The hoarder honestly believes they may need to access the data in future. We should remember those memories are precious. We threaten their perceived value at our own risk.
Data, Music, Video and What Have You (© Avery Associates)
The True Victims of Compulsive Hoarding
Before you feel sorry for yourself for having a hoarder in the family, you may like to think again. The hoarder you may know, and still love is trapped in a syndrome from which they have no escape. In their minds they believe that we, and not they have the problem. Once we understand that, there’s a chance we may be able to improve things, with professional help.
A Recent Avery Associates Review
Our aunt was a recluse and hoarder. She died leaving two properties in London that were dilapidated and completely hoarded. Unfortunately, because everything was in disarray, we were not notified of her death until almost 3 months later … That’s where Jeff of Avery Associates came to the rescue. We highly recommend Jeff and Avery Associates to anyone … K Anderson
