In the past I have referred to myself as a hoarder as we all do I think in one point of our lives or another. But where does this hoarding tendency come from? Why do we get so attached to items? How can we break this bond? I know I’ve struggled with this situation with clothes. I know exactly when and where I wore each outfit. It’s a gift but makes it so hard for me to get rid of stuff.
To get a good understanding, let’s start with what exactly does hoarding mean. Hoarding is a significant difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of value. The action comes with some serious effects on the person and their families, emotionally, physically, socially, and financially.
People who are hoarders always think that they are keeping items because they worry it’s a risk to throw stuff out. The most common things that are kept are newspapers, magazines, household supplies, and other things that are considered unnecessary to most other people. But hoarders can also be people who can never pass up a bargain, compulsive individuals that collect free items, or someone who is on the hunt for the perfect most unique items. I know myself and I definitely fall into the bargain hunter and free item collector.
The typical behaviors or symptoms of a hoarder are similar to those of obsessive compulsive disorder. They also include not throwing things away but especially experiencing severe anxiety when the thought of throwing something away occurs. Hoarders sometimes put themselves into isolation to avoid acknowledging the issue with friends and family.
There are a few reasons why people hoard. They think that items will be important to them someday and throwing them out is too large of a risk. Sometimes they keep the items because they bring back memories and have significant sentimental value.
But through the process of hoarding, an individual’s quality of life becomes diminished. They often live in homes that have no functional living space due to the amount of possessions and will let appliances break without fixing. For most hoarders, they experience potential divorce, eviction, and other legal removal processes.
It’s definitely not something anyone chooses but if you know someone who is a hoarder, you can support them by trying to intervene in a non-judgemental way. They are people at the end of the day who are embarrassed and scared. They need support like the rest of us. It’s a mental health issue a lot of people don’t want to confront. So be gentle to those around you.
I’ve gotten a lot better with my tendencies but I still struggle!!! But I’m always here to talk to anyone if they need it!!!
Xoxo,
Z
