2023-05-21 21:05:00
At first you start to accumulate small objects, but without realizing it, your house becomes a large container for everything, shoes, books, clothes, stuffed animals, electrical appliances… and in more serious cases even garbage. If you felt identified or know someone like this, discover why a person is hoarderWhat are the risks of ‘saving for later’?
What is hoarding disorder?
accumulate objects can reveal more than one attachment to the past Although it is true that they have a history, storing any type of object in an excessive quantity, that is, until there is no longer enough space at home, is one of the warning signs of the hoarding disorder because it generates a Difficulty getting rid of belongings.
According to specialists from Mayo Clinic Medical Institutea person who is compulsive hoarder She often feels anguished at the idea of having to get rid of her things because she not only treasures them, she also gives them meaning beyond their real value.
Why a person hoards: what are the risks of ‘saving for later’?/ Photo: iStock
Although most of the time they are aware that keeping objects ‘just in case’ or ‘for later’ affects their environment, it is impossible for them to get rid of them, in serious cases, their personal space ends up in overcrowded houses and in complete disorder because no place escapes the compulsive hoarders, they can even develop clinical cases such as Diogenes syndrome.
the people who are compulsive hoarders, have difficulty understanding the problem of storing any type of objects, such as magazines, newspapers, toys, clothes, bags, empty boxes, whatever they can save to fill emotional voidsTherefore, it is very difficult for them to decide to go with a mental health specialist.
On the other hand, for those accumulators hoarding objects can come from an exaggerated idea that they are very useful, that perhaps at the moment they will not be essential, but they will be in the future. Although they may go years without being used, they do occupy spaces within the home, making the personal environment look disorderly, abandoned or sucio.
Why a person hoards: what are the risks of ‘saving for later’?/ Photo: iStock
How does a compulsive hoarder live?
And compulsive hoarder lives with the need to save, accumulate a large number of objects, even those that lack value to others. accumulators they feel anguish at the thought of getting rid of them.
He hoarding disordercan seriously affect the quality of life of people, not only to their environment, for example, they tend to experience a series of negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, shame or depression, especially when the familiar surroundings begins to withdraw from them or in the face of difficulty allowing others to enter their messy space.
‘Save for later’ not only impacts emotional level, also implies health and safety risks of the compulsive hoarder because clutter can make it difficult to home cleancausing hygiene problems, pests or favoring accidents such as fires.
Why a person hoards: what are the risks of ‘saving for later’?/ Photo: iStock
Also, living in a home that lacks spaces to move freely could increase the risk of experiencing fall injuries, as well as Difficulty getting to sleep, deteriorating the quality of life of the person with this type of disorder.
How to know if a person suffers from hoarding disorder?
It may be difficult to spot a compulsive hoarder when it is still within the early stages, that is, your need to save objects has not yet affected your personal space.
Some of the main characteristics of compulsive hoarders are the following:
- give him a excessive importance to objectsalthough many of these are useless.
- The idea of storing objects is exaggerated, in them the ‘rule of six months’ does not apply.
- The items they keep are not necessary, but they treasure them as if they were.
- His mania is accompanied by disorganized, dirty or infested spaces.
- they have a great difficulty in decision makingthe main one being: ‘should I throw it away or save it for later?’
- Son lonely peoplethey tend to isolate themselves from the rest because not everyone can enter their messy space.
- Deep down they know they have a problem, but it is not easy to recognize because their disorder generates a separation anxietythat is, just thinking about getting rid of something generates culpabilityTherefore, they isolate themselves from people to accumulate privately.
Why a person hoards: what are the risks of ‘saving for later’?/ Photo: iStock
How to help a person with accumulator problems?
If you have already identified that a loved one could manifest the hoarding disorder, the first thing to do is be empathic with the situationHelp without criticizing or blaming.
go to cognitive behavioral therapy could be of great help to modify the thoughts of irrationality of the ‘duty to accumulate’, if you work on them this type of behavior could decrease.
Why a person hoards: what are the risks of ‘saving for later’?/ Photo: iStock
now that you know why a person is hoarder, Maybe it’s easier to put yourself in the other’s place to understand that store objects It goes beyond not throwing them away, but an attachment that must be worked on with the help of a mental health professional.
Don’t forget to save this pin to PinterestWe invite you to visit our Facebook page to find more content of your interest.
If you want to know what is obsessive compulsive disorder, Stay and watch the next video.
#person #hoarder #risks #saving