ARE YOU A HOARDER?

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You’ve probably heard the term “hoarder” on reality TV shows and talk shows. The most iconic hoarders are the Collyer brothers, Homer and Langley, who lived in New York. Both were eventually found dead in the Harlem brownstone where they had lived, surrounded by more than 140 tons of items they had amassed over several decades. You’re not a hoarder just because you like to collect things and have too many possessions. It’s not considered hoarding even if you have trouble getting rid of your stuff. Hoarding refers to a more severe form of cluttering. For some people, the degree of clutter becomes dysfunctional and life-limiting. Their clutter is so excessive that it becomes a central disabling force in their lives. Here are some warning signs:

1.    The amount of clutter is so excessive that your living space is severely compromised. You can’t use your living space in the way it was intended or the way you would like.

2.    Your clutter causes you significant stress and upset, overwhelms you, and affects your relationships.

3.    Your clutter makes it difficult for you to navigate your living space.

4.    The degree of clutter threatens your health and well-being.

5.    You’ve been told by many others that you could use professional help. And they are not kidding.

If several of these criteria describe you, you may want to seek additional help. Professional groups and organizations can provide assistance and direction. Therapists who have some expertise with hoarding, as well as expertise with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, addictions, phobias, and so on, are also a good source of help.

Copyright © Allen Elkin Phd – Originally appeared in Stress Management for Dummies 2nd edition by Allen Elkin