A hoarding disorder is a serious mental illness that can be extremely stressful for both the sufferer and their family, which is why spotting the disorder and arranging for hoarding rubbish disposal is vital in helping your loved one.
What is Hoarding Disorder
A hoarding disorder is diagnosed when a person has a persistent difficulty in parting with or discarding possessions. This can often be spotted when a person shows signs of distress when faced with the idea of parting with possessions and, in some cases, rubbish. When left untreated, a hoarder will continue to store and collect items, which can lead to unsafe and often unsanitary living conditions.
Occasionally, the hoarder will also show signs of other illnesses, including depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It’s not known what causes hoarding; however, medical professionals agree that the earlier it is treated, the better.
Common symptoms include:
– Collecting items regardless of value i.e. newspapers, sugar packets etc.
– Showing extreme distress when asked to get rid of possessions
– Collected items begin to overtake rooms, leaving them unusable for normal use
– Items are not organised, rather kept in piles without knowing where certain items are
– Will engage in conflict with family if asked to remove items
How to Help a Hoarder
Often, family members will opt for hoarding rubbish removal as a way to help their loved one, also professional companies like Kwiksweep can help. However, before you consider rubbish removal, you should first seek professional medical help, as hoarding can be a dangerous psychological disorder, and removing belongings will only cause distress.
When they’ve began treatment and they feel ready to start considering parting ways with belongings, this is when you can consider rubbish removal. This should be done in small steps, arranging for help room by room, as this will make the process easier for the hoarder.
Remember to praise all the small steps they make. It might not seem like much to you, but any possession that they do decide to part with will be a massive deal for them.
Perfection won’t happen overnight, and it may take the hoarding sufferer months or even years to have their home back to what might be considered normal. As long as you stick with them, follow the directions of doctors and continue to support them, you will be doing everything you can to help with their hoarding tendencies. For further information check out https://www.kwiksweep.co.uk/house-clearance
