Back to hoarding again: its an illness
@OreoBrownie (3755)
Commerce, Georgia
July 15, 2016 1:51am CST
Just like OCD is an illness so is hoarding. Some people hoard animals and their conditions are deplorable. Some animal hoarders even have dead and decaying animals they don't even notice. They don't notice the sight or the smell. Their brains have shut off on the conditions they have caused.
There are people who are addicted to shopping. They never even take the item out of the bag to enjoy it, or almost never. Then there are the trash hoarders. Don't open that Fridge! You will be bombarded with stench of rotting food and roaches chowing down.
This affliction can be managed. I won't say it can be cured because it's only cured as long as the addiction is managed. It most commonly takes a hoarding specialist therapist to go item by item teaching the hoarder to let go of the trauma that shows itself in hoarding.
3 people like this
3 responses
@Carmelanirel2 (8085)
• United States
15 Jul 16
My neighbor would say that the first 50 years, we collect and hoard, the last 50 years we start clearing out. I found that to be true for me. I spend my first 50 years collecting all kinds of junk, but then after 50, I started collecting the junk others can use and donating it, and throwing away stuff that really was trash.
On the other hand, my husband collects stuff all the time. Nothing gross like animals or food, but like our shower faucet that broke a few months ago. We bought a new one, but he kept the old one. 
1 person likes this
@OreoBrownie (3755)
• Commerce, Georgia
15 Jul 16
You might be right. I've never been one to hoard anything. The only thing I have a hard time getting rid of is books. To me it is sinful to throw away a book.
1 person likes this
@Carmelanirel2 (8085)
• United States
18 Jul 16
@OreoBrownie I hear you about books, but some books I sell or donate (like my college text books) or books I know I won't read again. Our library takes donated books and sells them at their book sale, where I get many of my books anyways. lol
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
15 Jul 16
it can get really bad - often we want more stuff than our living space allows so everything crushes in on us
1 person likes this
@OreoBrownie (3755)
• Commerce, Georgia
15 Jul 16
It makes me wonder where their head is, to hoard like that in limited space.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
15 Jul 16
@OreoBrownie people want things - many have a hard time letting go
@Marilynda1225 (91076)
• United States
15 Jul 16
I stopped collecting things when I moved a few years ago and hate clutter now.
