Hoarding can have serious physical, psychological, and social effects. Physical effects include health problems and injuries, while psychological effects include an increase in compulsive behavior and anxiety. Social effects include isolation and legal charges from neighbors.
Hoarding is the act of gathering excessive quantities of unnecessary items. It is generally classified as a compulsive behavior and can have serious effects, both for the hoarder and those around him. The physical effects of the buildup can include health problems and injuries from accidents. Psychological effects include an increase in compulsive behavior and, for those living with hoarders, anxiety and depression. The most common social effect is isolation.
The physical effects of hoarding are usually the most obvious. Hoarders are often forced to store unsanitary or dangerous items. This can include storing foods until they decompose, causing mold and other bacteria to grow and spread throughout your home. The sheer amount of items in a hoarder’s home often makes cleaning virtually impossible, so dust and particulates build up. All of these factors can cause or contribute to health disorders, such as respiratory infections and asthma.
Rodents and insects can easily become a problem even in a hoarder’s home. These pests are often carriers of disease that can be spread as they pass through your home. Young children and pets, in particular, may be at risk from a bite from a rodent or infected insect. Fires are also a serious risk, as hoarders often collect highly flammable items and also because collections often prevent the possibility of escaping the house in the event of a fire.
There are also psychological effects of hoarding. These can affect the hoarder, those who live with him and those who care for him. For the hoarder himself, satisfying the urge to hoard can actually intensify the compulsion to collect more things. As with an addict, the effect experienced from acquiring something diminishes as the activity is repeated. The hoarder is left chasing after the feeling of satisfaction derived from the first acquisition.
For others living in the home and for loved ones unable to stop the compulsion, the psychological effects of hoarding can be profound. Spouses and children may feel as though they have lost their loved one through coercion. They may think that the hoarder loves his collections more than his family. They may experience intense anger, confusion, grief, depression, and anxiety. Young children can grow up believing that this is an acceptable or even common way of life and can be traumatized when they discover that it is not true.
Isolation is perhaps the most important of the social effects of hoarding. Friends and family often refuse to visit due to health and safety concerns. Neighbors may press charges, fearing, often with good reason, that the hoarder’s home poses a threat to the entire neighborhood. In return, hoarders may eventually come to feel that everyone is against them and limit contact with the outside world as much as possible.
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