If you are an adult with a history of hoarding, you know how difficult it can be to try to deal with your condition on your own. Many people with hoarding issues tend to be very isolated and self-conscious. They may hide their problems from friends and family, as well as from doctors and therapists. But there are effective steps you can take to get your hoarding under control.
Many people don't realize they have a disorder until it's too late. The disorder usually begins in childhood but rarely reaches adulthood. Accumulation is, in fact, compulsive buying, getting, storing and finding things that are practically not used except for accumulation and disorder. People who save often have low self-esteem and value. They believe that their possessions bring meaning to them, but in reality, they are just objects that need to be kept or thrown away. The disorder has serious emotional, physical, social, and legal consequences for the provider and his or her family.
There are four main categories of symptoms and manifestations of hoarding. The following are typical descriptions of the hoarding person: an accumulation of many small items, an inability to discard some items, a lack of organizational skills difficulty parting with things, and repeated failures in deciding whether to throw things away. Some collectors hide their accumulated items in places where they will never see them again. The following descriptions are typical of a person who hides their accumulated items: accumulation of personal belongings, accumulation of furniture, accumulation of clothes, accumulation of jewelry, and accumulation of toys.
Physical symptoms of accumulation include the accumulation of many tiny objects such as plastic toys, broken appliances, expired medications, or other items that are of little value or usefulness. These items have no practical use, but serve as storage facilities for collectors. A person with this disorder often suffers from frequent diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, depression, insomnia, or general discomfort and fatigue.
The emotional symptoms of hoarding can be just as devastating. When a person is hoarding, he or she often feels depressed or sad and loses interest in activities that were once joyful. He or she tends to withdraw from others and feel worthless and inferior, as if they have no value and do not value themselves. In extreme cases, the drive can become obsessed with its own problems and feel like it’s worthless or not important enough.
Hoarders often have trouble parting with their possessions. They can't be trusted to handle money or even to keep their homes clean and orderly.
They may find themselves avoiding people or places that were once filled with happiness
Individuals with this condition also tend to suffer from serious health problems, including depression, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, and a variety of heart attacks, digestive disorders, blindness, memory loss, high blood pressure, and other mental disorders. Because the accumulation of so much stuff leads to such health complications, the hoarder's body is damaged by the accumulated waste and toxins. He or she often has problems breathing, headaches, dizziness, weight problems, allergies, asthma, kidney problems, and difficulty speaking, all of which can lead to mental and emotional anguish. A person with a hoarder condition is prone to infection, digestive problems, and other health problems. The hoarder may become unable to hold a job or perform basic physical tasks because of these conditions.
The hoarder condition is a serious one. Although hoarding disorder is treatable, many people suffering from it are unable to completely rid their lives of all those items. It can be a difficult emotional and physical condition, but there are some simple things you can do to help the hoarder to get better. Seek out a therapist who specializes in hoarding disorders, or talk to your doctor about your concerns.