So...I have been watching a show the past few days called "Hoarders". It is a show on A&E about people who having Compulsive Hoarding Disorder. And we're not talking about people who just need to declutter their house or have a good spring cleaning. We are talking about a serious disorder where these people throw NOTHING away and see nothing wrong with this. Once these people have asked for help, which usually is spurred by neighbors calling th city or health department, and in some cases, DCFS because of how bad these houses are, a psychologist, a professional organizer, the Daisy Maids and a work crew comes in to clean and throw things away.
If you haven't seen this show, it is truly an interesting journey to see how people live like this. It's an area of psychology that I have not really delved into before...and it's fascinating. It's a mindset and disorder that I can't even fathom. I will be the first to admit that I don't like to throw stuff away, if it has sentimental value, but I have problem just chucking crap. One of the people, that just blew my mind, was a food hoarder. I didn't know that there were different types of hoarding...but it makes sense. She was unemployed and was living on social security. She would buy in bulk and just keep EVERYTHING. Expiration dates meant nothing. In her mind, if the package wasn't bulging, then it was ok to still eat. There were rotting pumpkins in her living room. She had three refrigerators stuffed full of just stuff. She didn't want to ask for help or rely on anyone else for survival. But to top it all off, she also had three cats. There was expired food EVERYWHERE. And when the cleaners came in, she had to be escorted from the house because she wouldn't let them throw anything away. She tried to save a cooler full of food that was expired and had been sitting out for who knows how long and her son came and threw it away. This show offered to pay for counseling and lessons from a professional organizer. When they come to do a follow up show? She had never gone to counseling and had continued in her old ways. Her landlord had to evict her because her house had become a health hazard and not fit for living. This is what finally made her open her eyes and realize that she had a real problem.
Other stories include families with young children, and an older man who had lost a loaded gun in his house somewhere and couldn't find it. Some may say that this show just exploits those who have this condition and that it's just a show to make money and get ratings. Perhaps, but I don't think so. I have known people in the past that, knowing what I do now, were hoarders. Every square inch of the house was filled with...stuff. Some people hoard things, some hoard money, some hoard food, but all of them have some sort of traumatic event in their lives that triggered this need to hoard. Whether it was growing up poor, not having anything, being homeless, or like many of our grandparents, lived through the Great Depression, something happened in their life that has triggered this need to have things so that they feel secure.
I guess in some ways, I can hoard. My biggest fears that have developed over the past few years has been tied to money. The big fear is that we won't have money to put gas in the car and food on the table. I have had anxiety attacks about his. So, to calm my fears, I have to have so much cash in my wallet at all times. This way I know that there is money for these things and that we won't be stranded or starve. Now, I know that I can be VERY over-dramatic from time to time (hello? I did get a degree in theatre!) but I have literally made myself sick over this before. Mike and I have been so blessed with wonderful families that won't let us starve or be stranded. They have helped us a many occasions and it has calmed my nerves dramatically.
There has been some positive things that have come out of watching the show. I usually get motivated to clean my house after. I try to target one area of the house at a time. Since there are only two bedrooms, one bathroom and a small living room and even smaller kitchen and laundry room, it doesn't take long. Tonight I focused on the bathroom. I even got on my hands and knees and scrubbed the floor. My mother would be so proud of me! I have also been keeping up on the kitchen. Tomorrow? The family room just needs to be picked up and vacuumed. Then...the dreaded bedroom. I am a-scared for that. It will need to be a Saturday type of activity. But, I think I am going to try and post my progress as I go.
Post Edit: So I totally didn't realize how over dramatic I was being when I wrote this last night...It was sounding like I was judging everyone with a remotely dirty house. I guess this subject just fascinates me because it is such a foreign world and thought process to me. It would be like me trying to explain ADD or my anxiety issues to someone who has never felt that way; unless you are in that mindset, you can't imagine what it's like. I truly feel for these people who are so overwhelmed with life that this is how they begin to live, and before they really know what's happening, their lives have spiraled out of control. But it's that way with any disorder, be it hoarding, drug addiction, alcoholism or anything like that. Ok...I believe that is all for this subject matter.
