Anxiety And Hoarding
A cluttered or unsanitary home can cause extreme anxiety and stress for those living within it and their family and friends. There are several completely acceptable and understandable causes of a chaotic living environment or hoarding as it commonly termed. It might be ill health, mental, physical or both, lack of time, social isolation, a loss or bereavement trigger, the lack of immediate family or friends or support network to help in times of need or the desire to accumulate and hold on to items that are collectable or informative, some that possibly aren’t perceived to have much use or value by others, for instance newspapers. Often it is a combination of any of these and one or more of these common problems compounded by something as simple as a lack of storage in the home.
Understanding The Causes
What creates anxiety in an individual or family who accumulates possessions and do not dispose of them in a fashion that is commonly known as hoarding? Often, when making first contact with an individual or family they express much concern about the condition of the property they would like help with, explain how it came to be like this and how embarrassed they are to have me enter and sort it out. While this extreme anxiety in relation to others experiencing their living environment at close hand is understandable, the reasons for it becoming this way are also easy to understand, as the problems experienced that have led to clutter becoming overwhelming are often suffered by ourselves or someone close to us at some point during our life cycle.
It Can Happen To Any One Of Us
Almost everyone has experienced an unhappy or difficult period in heir life such as a gap between jobs and resulting unemployment lethargy, a serious crisis or a series of setbacks, making even completing the most basic of tasks, like maintaining a normal routine, doing the hoovering or putting the rubbish out, several times more difficult.
The Problems With A Busy Working Life
Many parents can identify with the lack of sleep and time that can cause a chaotic house scenario, especially if working long hours with two or more young children who make a lot of mess and washing but never clear up. Many could recall past occasions when an unexpected important or visitor might arrive unannounced and unexpected causing embarrassment as the washing piled ready to put away, toys strewn about and kitchen mess are all too evident. I understand this because I have run around quickly in that few minutes before they walk in myself, quickly tidying up. Of course, this is understandable because as a parent you sometimes don’t have the energy or, more importantly the time at that point to keep your home as pristine as it was before the children came along, especially if you are lacking space for all the new toys and paraphernalia now being accommodated. Apologies really aren’t necessary because a home environment like this is common to so many busy families and, importantly, people understand and don’t judge so hoarding shouldn’t be any different.
Non Judgemental And Sympathetic Help
This is why, when we are speaking on that initial first telephone call or I am meeting the individual I am helping for the first time I can honestly tell them that apologies are unnecessary, and that any ones home can become overwhelming at any time, especially with a combination of barriers to a clear and sorted house. If you take a flat or house with little storage and an individual who, perhaps even for a short period of time, is incapable of cleaning, sorting and putting away items as they come into the home and then add a mobility problem, making keeping the house in order impossible, then over a short period of time this can become overwhelming, to the point where it will become a cause of severe anxiety as it impacts negatively on every day life.
Breakdown Of Utilities As A Result Of Hidden Problems
Boilers, taps, and electrical fittings may be unable to be serviced due to the home owner’s embarrassment at the conditions of the house and may even leave the individual without heating or hot water, causing serious hardship in winter. Perhaps the house itself is very difficult to navigate from room to room or from sink to fridge with pathways and holding on points, a bed becoming unusable, completely covered or blocked off so that even a good nights sleep is now an impossibility, again seriously impacting on a persons well being no matter how adaptable they are. It will of course also make inviting people inside something of a rarity or impossibility, seriously impacting on the ability to socialise freely and limiting the help from any community networks as the secret must be hidden from everyone, encouraging loneliness and social isolation.
Knowing That There Is Friendly And Discrete Help
It is very easy to get into this position and thankfully, the solution to it is also very easy, its as easy as making contact and allowing a friendly team of people or even one person to make a start on putting a home back to the way it originally was, removing all the rubbish and, importantly, sorting and finding homes for everything that is staying.
A Life Changing Solution
It is extremely rewarding to leave a home tidy and clear, and more importantly to have given some great practical help to people to regain control of this part of their lives. People often ask where I get my energy from, but because I enjoy what I am doing and can see the progress that I am making through the day the energy is easy to find. It is very enjoyable transforming a place where a person lives from somewhere that makes them ashamed and unhappy to one that they can gain immense pride from once more. Unearthing treasures and items such as photos and useful clothing and collectables, to be displayed, collected together, returned to their rightful places and used again, brings joy to the person I’m helping. Receiving acclaim for a job well done at the end of a clearance with heartfelt remarks I am a godsend or have given a persons life back makes this job, for me, a very positive and uplifting experience.
Teresa Rickard
For confidential advice and support call our office on 0208 640 0044 and ask for Jeffrey Avery or Teresa Rickard.
We are both here at any time to help and address your problem.
