Time To Talk About Hoarding
Jul 15, 2016
It’s never an easy conversation to have. They must
realize this is crazy right? They must realize they can throw away some of
these things? They must realize the smell? They must want to change?
Hoarding is described as a disorder characterized by one’s
difficulty discarding items that appear to have little to no value. Hoarding is
not simply an issue of an unkempt space, it can result in serious health and
safety threats to the hoarder and anyone in their home.
Compulsive hoarding is a mental disorder, deeply ingrained
in the individual’s lifestyle, habits and mentality. Supporting the hoarder is
vital, but we must realize it’s not our job to ‘fix’ them. As a friend or family member, the most
important service you can provide is to support them. Here are some practical
tips for helping a loved one who hoards.
- Educate yourself. Read up on what your friend is dealing with and how attempts to organize and clean will affect them.
- Help your friend find a professional in your area that deals specifically with hoarding issues and professional organizing.
- Show up on cleaning day with a positive, patient attitude; offer to help in the clean-up process.
- Do little things to support your friend – keep in mind how embarrassing this condition can be, if you can understand this person, you will help their self- esteem.
- Remind them that hoarding is just one component of their personality and not their whole identity.
Remember, it is not your responsibility
to fix their life. This person is using Hoarding to deal with some deep issues
that can’t be solved with one conversation. You can’t decide it’s time for this
person to make a changed – they have to decide for themselves.
Contact us at ServiceMaster in Mason for more details.
Phone: 517-676-1626 Email: ServiceMasterAbsolute@gmail.com
www.servicemasterabsolute.com
