The new A&E documentary, “Hoarding,” has recently shed light on how hoarding impacts a family’s life in specific and tangible ways: how it affects a family’s living conditions, social ability, the children and jobs of family members.
While we may all feel we have clutter and disorganization in our lives at one point or another, knowing the difference between hoarding and chronic disorganization can help address these conditions more effectively, bringing organization and peace back into our lives.
Knowing the Difference: Aspects of Hoarding
Hoarding involves the physical activity of purchasing or bringing unneeded items into a home. It also produces physical reactions: fear of not having enough or of letting an item go may bring on a nausea, or shortness of breath. Psychological and emotional issues are present throughout. The hoarder may project emotional attachments onto specific objects and feel driven by many motivations to acquire and save specific items.
Hoarders may:
- See value in every item or in specific types of items
- Fear loss of an item or information, such as newspaper or magazine
- Purchase items compulsively
- Be unable to prioritize not only items in their homes, but also aspects of their lives
To look at the way hoarding impacts an individual or family, watch “Hoarding,” which airs on A&E, Monday evenings at 10/9C.
What is Chronic Disorganization?
While chronic disorganization may result in clutter and loss of living space, it is not the same as hoarding. Chronic disorganization may lead to clutter in the home or office, time management issues and a reactionary response rather than long-term planning. Chronic disorganization may be a result of ADD/ADHD, a chronic pain condition, dementia, or other health condition.
In today’s society chronic disorganization is also on the rise as a result of the increase of conditions such as ADD and ADHD combined with how inundated we are with social messages about the value of consumption.
People with chronic disorganization may:
- Have clutter, including paper, boxes or bags stacked in the office or home
- Always be running behind
- Try to organize but just don’t have the energy or time
- Spend the majority of their time putting out fires instead of long-term planning
Getting Help
Compulsive hoarding is an extremely complex disorder. It is also still a relatively new field of study and there is much that we are still learning, and need to learn, about how to best work with hoarders and offer helpful treatment. Since hoarders may often not even recognize there is a problem, a family member or friend may be the one to identify the seriousness of hoarding in their lives.
Those with chronic disorganization may recognize the problem of clutter impeding their lifestyle, but may feel helpless to do anything about it.
Both conditions involve the physical act of removing clutter from a home. However, little will change if there is no behavior change, and the underlying psychological issues are not addressed. Getting help from a mental health professional who is very informed about these issues and how best to work with them is a critical part of effective treatment.
As a professional organizer, I work with individuals and families to bring a sense of organization into their lives. When working with hoarders or the chronically disorganized, I take a team approach, collaborating with mental health professionals who can address the psychological aspects of a client’s hoarding behavior or chronic disorganization.
You are most welcome; thank you for sharing your challenges.
If you don’t mind my asking, (a lot of questions) what do you think would help you most?
You mentioned you are being treated for ADD. Do you suspect you have anything else co-exisiting?
I’m going to ask a few questions and feel free to ignore the ones you don’t want to answer and respond to those you are comfortable answering.
1. Do you think about your things when you are out of the house?
2. How do you acquire things? Stores? Yard sales? Curbside?
3. Do you have any issues with your weight?
4. Have you ever worked with an organizer?
5. Are you uncomfortable if things aren’t surrounding you?
6. Do you collect anything?
Typically, there is a huge gap (for hoarders) between their intentions and their actions. Sounds like this is what you are experiencing; is that accurate?
I appreciate your post and hope to hear from you again.
See my tab (on top the page) for LINKS–there are some places to look for help.
Sometime last year, after seeing a show about hoarding where the couple only had a couple hundred feet of actual space in their very large home, I realized I have a problem. My mother came to the same conclusion about me and the result was a visit with my psych. doctor. A diagnosis of Adult ADD was made and I was put on medicine that has helped immensely. But, now, seeing this new series, I realize that that was merely scratching the surface.
I have had to stop the show to just process thoughts. I hear these people voicing the same thoughts and feelings I have. Yes, I say, that’s me too! But then if that is me too…then what follows must be me as well. Or parts. That has made me feel very sad and depressed. My home isn’t completely trashed like those on the show but the fear is there that it could become as bad. It’s bad enough I don’t let friends come over unless I’ve worked insanely to make it bearable. I won’t let my daughter have friends over.
I talked with my sister about our mother. My mother has much of the same issues with ‘hoarding’. Again, not to the point of filth or health concerns but piles of ‘stuff’. Mom came to ‘help’ me last week. While I cleaned out an old antique dresser (that I want refinished, was Grandma’s), the things that were in/on it now are scattered through out the house. So now it’s empty but I have no way to get it to the refinisher. In the end, she put more stuff back that wasn’t there to begin with. Basically, we just shuffled ‘stuff’. It made it seem like we accomplished something. As she was leaving, she saw the soda cans in my recycle bin and wanted to stop and pull the tabs to save for some obscure reason. I said NO.
There is a lot of emotion involved with ‘things’. I intellectually understand that the object my deceased bestfriend gave me is not my friend, emotionally giving it up equates to forgetting her. Keeping this object in a drawer or box does not honor her memory. But have I done anything with it? No. Ok, yes, I brought it into my bedroom where I see it daily. What do I do with all the other gobs of stuff that have memories/value to me? When I’m dead and gone, 99% of it will be useless to my kids.
I need help.
Thanks for bringing this troubling issue to light and giving hope for relief.
Geralin, Thank you so very much for the follow up. I had forgotten that I posted and ran across it while looking up the website.
I have been treated in the past for major depression and anxiety.
1. Yes I do think of my things.
2. I’ve acquired it through a variety of ways. I purchased an insane amount of Beanie Babies a couple years ago on Ebay; I’m a huge fan of a singer and have alot of items from the fan club, fan club meet & greets, concert momentos. I have 3 cardboard stand-ups for instance; my Mom has given me a great deal of her ‘stuff’ that she wants me to have before she dies (she’s 85) and I can’t say no; lastly just completely disorganized, I can’t find clothes or tools for example, so I buy more.
3. No weight issues (I’ve been overweight, yo yo dieted, married, children but since being on medication for ADD I’ve lost alot of weight)
4. No I have not. But would very much like to do so.
5. I want to say no. But I’m not sure.
6. I collected the Beanies until I nearly bankrupted myself. But other than that I don’t collect actively.
I have been able to relate to so much in the series. Like the lady who said she could clean up the vacuum and sell it at a yard sale. I have good intentions but not good results. I procrastinate terribly.
For me, I could get rid of a large amount from my house but I need the physical help, and of course the emotional/mental support. I see so much of me in those people. I feel for them, I know how they are feeling.
I feel guilty that my hoarding behavior is affecting my daughter and I think the reason my son and wife have never let me babysit my grandson at my house, nor come over.
Thanks again,
LuAnn
I encourage you to let go of guilt because it’s the most non-productive, waste of time and energy-draining emotion I think there is second to jealousy. Use that energy to motivate and educate yourself about yourself.
Start by reading some of the free articles on April Benson Ph.D’s website, Stopping Overshopping.com.
Another good resource for you is the NSGCD.org website. Take a look at their clutter rating scale and see where you would place yourself.
Are you hoping that the Beanies would be worth more than you paid for them someday? Thinking or hoping like a collector or investor?
Is your anxiety medication working? Are you shopping on line when stressed?
I hope to hear from you after you explore the 2 websites mentioned above.
Yes….. me too! It is awful and I feel like there’s no end to it and no help. I was appointed a doctor after a failed suicide. That was another mistake! After being put on a whole bunch of meds I gained 190lbs and spent over 6 years in bed. Even after all that my husband still loves me and for him I wanted to get better. I stopped going to my appointed Quack, stopped taking all the pills and after 2 years I’ve lost most of the weight. However, the problem that started the whole mess is still there. I have climbed back into bed helpless n hopeless. I fear what will happen next……….
I live in Dallas Tx with my wife of eight years. I beleive my wife is suffering from chronic disorganization on the verge of hoarding. I’m having a problem finding a mental health professional in our city who is “informed” about this disorder. Might you have any contacts or referals in the Dallas Tx area??
What a coincidence; I will be working in Dallas, with a Hoarder, this week.
For help finding a therapist, here’s a list: http://www.academyofct.org/Library/CertifiedMembers/Index.asp
You need to call and ask, specifically, for a therapist who works with hoarders and chronic clutter. I suggest starting with university psychiatry and psychology departments.
In addition, here are a few Professional Organizers, in the Dallas area, who have worked with Hoarders; they may have suggestions for therapists (forgive the formatting, I’m cutting a pasting from a document)
Joyce Bingham Organized Touch (214) 801-5382
Julia Blue Organized Chaos (469) 964-9317 blues21@juno.com
Pamela Bowers, Organized Chaos (469) 323-5220
Amie Cartwright (214) 534-0003 letamiefixit@gmail.com
Cita Cox Coxs Corner (214) 356-3878 coxscorner.org@gmail.com
Desiree Hill, Organized Touch (214) 734-4322 info@organizedtouch.com
Sandy Jones Organized by Sandy (214) 354-3008 organizedbysandy@sbcglobal.net
Laura Mercer Organize Your Stuff (214) 499-6135 llpmercer@yahoo.com
Leticia Pfeiffer Styled & Organized Living (469) 360-8696 leticiapfeiffer@mac.com
Michael Preston MSP Productions Services, LLC (214) 906-5708 michaelpreston@mac.com
Christine Shanklin Closets by Chicka!!! (214) 697-4849 closetsbychicka@aol.com
Rachel Stockton Designed to Simplify (214) 298-6344 rachelastockton@yahoo.com