According to Wikipedia Compulsive Hoarding "is the acquisition of and failure to use or discard such a large number of seemingly useless possessions that it causes significant clutter and impairment to basic living activities such as mobility, cooking, cleaning, showering or sleeping.".. .. showering?? sleeping!?!?!?!?!? ack!!
Here is a picture of hoarding I found online at www.anxietyandstress.com/
I found this fascinating for a few reasons:
the hoarders on this show seemed to know that what they were doing was detrimental to them and those around them, but just really didn't know how to stop...
there are probably many people who have not let their hoarding get so out hand, but are also close to the edge- my dad used to keep a lot of useless things and I have this distinct memory of the family helping him throw things away once a year..
I also relate to hoarding!! I find myself battling with throwing things away that I don't have any use for... part of it is the want of stuff and part of it is hating to feel like something is going to a landfill (and maybe a little genetics??)... I wonder if I could ever get out of hand like the people in the A&E show?!?!?! am I a closet hoarder?!?!?!?!
I think it's genetics, Jean! My dad is a huge hoarder, or packrat as we like to say. He still has several pairs of my baby shoes in the garage (along with a mountain of other stuff). I'm constantly trying to throw stuff out but can never seem to keep up with the pile of new things that grow in my apartment - be it mail or catalogues or skincare products! Sigh. I fear I shall never win this battle.
ReplyDeleteAnd I totally get you on the landfill stuff. I have a habit of playing scenarios out in my head way into the future and the thought of my old stuff sitting in a landfill makes me shudder.
I think it's a way to offset deep loneliness. The possessions take the place of people. That is my theory.
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