Have you ever wondered why people collect things and become hoarders?

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Have you ever had ''that friend'' who did this? Did it affect your friendship with the person? It did for me...I had to back off. Known this lady since we were in college. Like me, she always enjoys antiques. She owns a huge home, and her husband died in an accident recently. For the last 10 years, she has become more and more of what she calls a ''collector'' of antiques. However, it is now a hoarding situation, and it's not pretty. Her dining room is stacked and no one can even get in that room. Two of her bedrooms are so full that there is only a path to the beds. She has a huge kitchen with tons of counter space--well, she did have counter space, but now nearly every single inch of it all is covered with antique glass dishes. Her living room is a nightmare! She has stacks of small antiques, things are everywhere, she has room for herself and a dog and that's about it. Even her 3 car garage is full--and she has to park out in the driveway now. Oh, and she has 3 bathrooms. One of them is now full from floor to ceiling, and completely unusable. It's to the point that her daughters cannot safely visit with their children. There is no place for them to safely be in there, but my friend doesn't see this. She just says to anyone who will listen, how her daughters do not love her enough to visit. The amazing thing is, she has a story for pretty much every item she has collected. She can tell you what she thinks it's worth, how much she paid for it, and where she found it. She haunts antique shops, thrift stores, and auctions. She brags about her finds and wants people to come and admire them. This was a person that I always considered to be what might be termed as normal. Her home was a pleasant place to be, she didn't buy things constantly, she didn't have the collect/hoarder thing going. Yes, she is still a kind person. You would never know, unless you had been to her home, that she lives like she does. She keeps herself perfectly clean, always presents a nice appearance, etc. I still care about her of course. She started this insane behavior way before her husband died, so it's not grief that triggered it. Her daughters tried to suggest some counseling, but she went crazy and said they were the crazy ones, so that didn't go over well. They are very concerned, as they feel her home is not safe for her to live in. They worry there could be a fire, and she could be easily trapped. But still...she buys more. She says it makes her feel happy. I know I can't help her. It's just sad to see that she has filled her home to the point that even her family and friends cannot safely visit. The last time I went to her home, she invited me and we had coffee on the patio. There was no place to sit down in her house except her recliner. I haven't been there in over a year...I hope she can still use the recliner. So very sad. Pinterest picture. Not my friend in this pic, or her home.