Have you ever heard of Hoarding Disorder? It’s when people have a very difficult time discarding things, even when they are useless. This is more than just being messy.
Hoarding behavior can reach dangerously unhealthy levels. How do you know if it has gotten out of control? If someone’s living space begins to interfere with their lives, then it is time to take action. How to stop hoarding? You start by getting the attention of someone showing any signs of hoarding behavior.
Hoarding levels are not always easy to determine. It usually depends on how much stuff a person has in their home, but there are five clear stages of hoarding that separate an apartment from a hoarder’s house.
5 Hoarding Levels
- Packrat: Packrats have a lot of “stuff,” but unlike compulsive hoarders, they can usually find what they need in a pile.
- Chronic Collector: This person has a more problematic relationship with their items. Often, the person may be obsessive about collecting certain things without having enough space to store everything.
- Accumulator: This is usually where you start to notice a problem. The house becomes so filled with stuff that it can’t possibly function as home anymore.
- Hoarder: This stage is the most familiar among hoarders. Most of a hoarder’s time is taken up by thinking about, acquiring, and/or organizing their items.
- Clutter-Bug: This is when the hoarder isn’t able to keep up with even regular maintenance of their living space. The person can’t possibly use any of the rooms in their home and might be in danger of eviction or fire because of the hazards that the clutter creates.
How To Help A Hoarder
Hoarding is a disorder that requires professional help from a team of psychologists, psychiatrists, and doctors. How can you be sure you’re helping? You start by working with your loved ones to create an action plan to prevent hoarding from getting worse.
You can also help by educating yourself on hoarding. If you know the difference between a packrat and a chronic collector, then you might be able to pinpoint which stage they’re in without sounding like an expert. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Most hoarders go through life with this embarrassing secret hidden from their friends and family. How can you ask questions if they’re already in denial? The only thing to do is let them tell you when they’re ready.
We Want To Help, Too
At Slam Dunkin Junk, we also want to help your loved ones through the rehabilitation process, and help to provide them with a new start in a safe environment. We are ready to help by providing residential junk removal services and home cleaning.
Contact us today if your loved ones are ready to start the cleaning process. Remember that it’s important for them to consent and be aware of what’s going to happen with their stuff.
