Hoarding and your health
16 Dec 2013
The difference between collecting a few mementos over the course of a lifetime and allowing an obsession to take over home, health and happiness is vast. So what are the signs of trouble and how can hoarding be dealt with?
While we’ve all been guilty of succumbing to these unhealthy behaviours, for some, the inability to shed the objects and bad habits is a sign of a far more harmful condition.
Collecting versus hoarding
There are three questions that will help assess whether you are collecting a particular item you are passionate about, holding onto precious mementos or indiscriminately hoarding: What am I holding on to? Why am I holding on to it? Most importantly: Is it negatively affecting my life?
There’s nothing wrong with keeping childhood mementos, family photographs and hobby materials that you will one day use, but if these saved items accumulate to the point where they take over your space or cause distress, it’s time to take action.
While disorganisation in itself is not an indicator of a problem, it can form part of a larger puzzle.
A key indicator of hoarding behaviour is when an individual excessively shops, is compelled to collect free things or is highly disorganised.
What causes hoarding?
Hoarding behaviour is closely tied to emotional stresses and anxiety, and can develop in response to a traumatic life event. If a single traumatic event cannot be identified, unhealthy hoarding behaviour may be a sign of depression.
“If you’re depressed and collecting you can become overwhelmed and it will further exacerbate the issue,” says Dr Jessica Grisham, Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of New South Wales.
Warning signs
We all hang on to items we may not necessarily need, but where unhealthy hoarding behaviour differs is in the severity of our attachment to these items.
Hoarding is a diagnosable mental health disorder that poses real risks of fire – in cases where smoke alarms cannot be reached for battery changes and testing – and disease caused by poor sanitation.
“Not having access to smoke alarms or clear entry and access points to the house or unit, or having loose papers and clothing near heating or cooking points pose real dangers,” says hoarding specialist Dr Christopher Mogan. Excess clutter around the home is particularly hazardous for the elderly who risk falling if they can’t move around their home easily.
A strong sign of hoarding behaviour is when an individual begins to identify with their possessions, builds their identity and measures their self-worth through their possessions, and develops a strong sense of responsibility for their possessions that leads them to withdraw from society.
“Finding the self-in-things is not a good recipe for living as it breaks down trust with others,” says Dr Mogan.
Individuals displaying signs of the condition may become concerned about letting people into their home, as they are ashamed of their behaviour. The isolation this can cause is of particular concern for older people, Dr Grisham points out, particularly those already experiencing mental health problems associated with hoarding behaviour.
Cutting through the clutter
If you identify hoarding habits getting in the way of you, a friend or family member performing basic functions, such as cooking meals or sleeping in bed, it’s a clear sign of an issue.
When you are looking at your own home and behaviour, urgent action needs to be taken when whole rooms or areas have become overrun by clutter and are inaccessible or unused. It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed by clutter and to want to avoid the problem, but if you recognise even the faintest signs of these behaviours, the time has come to prioritise and take back control.
Establish a routine and incorporate clearing into your schedule. Set aside one day a week dedicated to proper spring-cleaning, rather than just the vacuuming, mopping and surface level untidiness. On this day, sort and cull your files, and set aside possessions to recycle, donate or throw away.
As well as deciding on a dedicated time for clearing up, devote your attention to one room or task at a time. This will minimise the time wasted wandering from room to room, and will also help you see results sooner.
When sorting through photos, letters and family mementos it’s easy to get distracted by a trip down memory lane, so try your best to stay focused, and use time spent relaxing and reminiscing as a reward once the job's done.
“Approach each room or task as if you were eating an elephant – small bites at a time – and try not to get emotionally invested in the task at hand,” says Mara Morrison, professional organiser and owner of Filing Fairies.
Addressing existing clutter is not enough; commit to minimise the unnecessary objects you bring home and put plans in place to stay on top of incoming paperwork by creating a system that is simple to stick to once the clean up is complete.
“It’s not about being perfect; it’s about having a system that makes cleaning up mess quick and easy,” Morrison says.
Clutter is not permanent; make a plan and approach one task at a time and you will rid yourself of the unhealthy baggage weighing you down.
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