What is hoarding?
Hoarding disorder is characterized by excessive accumulation of items and messy storage, resulting in unmanageable clutter. The items can have high, little, or no monetary value. Doctors can diagnose hoarding disorder as a mental health issue. It is also important to note that Hoarding can be a symptom of other mental or physical disorders.
Signs of Hoarding
It is typical for someone with a hoarding disorder to do the following.
- An inability to discard possessions.
- Discarding items causes severe anxiety.
- An inability to organize possessions or categorize them.
- Having trouble deciding what to keep or where to put things.
- Possessions that cause you distress, such as feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed.
- A suspicion that someone else has touched an item.
- Consider the possibility of running out of items or needing them in the future. Check the trash for accidentally thrown-away items.
- Functional impairments include living space loss, social isolation, marital or family conflict, financial hardship, and health hazards.
Why does tackling hoarder house clearance need to be done with respect and dignity?
Despite the common misconception, hoarders suffer from a genuine illness called hoarding disorder. The condition of compulsive Hoarding can also be an indication of depression, dementia, and OCD. Due to their shame and embarrassment, most hoarders do not seek help. As a result, it is important to deal with it sensitively and respectfully, recognizing that Hoarding is the problem, not the individual.
Why can Hoarding become an issue and require a house clearance service?
A hoarding disorder can become an issue for many reasons. For starters, Hoarding can take over a person’s life, making it near impossible to maneuver in their own home. Affecting everything from their work performance to personal hygiene and relationships to suffer.
Hoarders tend to be reluctant to have visitors or even allow tradesmen to do essential repairs, leading to isolation and loneliness.
In addition to being a health risk to the person, the clutter can also pose a health risk to those who live in or visit the home. For example, it can:
- Result in trips and falls.
- Piles of things can Fall over or collapse on people.
- Be difficult to clean, which leads to unhygienic conditions and is conducive to rodent infestations or insect infestations.
- In the event of a fire, the clutter could block exits.
- The Hoarding could also indicate an underlying condition, such as OCD, anxiety, depression, and dementia.
As we know from some of the signs of Hoarding above, letting go and throwing away possessions can be very difficult for a hoarder and a trigger for anxiety, leading them to be in a heightened emotional state. Having professionals there to help guide you in the process can make a huge difference.
How can Leytonstone Waste help?
We specialize in dealing with difficult house clearances caused by Hoarding. Many people ask us to help, whether directly or through Social Services, and we have many years of experience in gently clearing out hoarders’ homes.
A forced clean-out is generally not recommended; it is too traumatizing for the sufferer. So it is crucial to ensure that the sufferer is in the right frame of mind before you start. A promising sign that they are in the right place is if they can no longer ignore the mess.
We are here to assist you through the entire process and ensure the property is properly cleared and cleaned responsibly and efficiently.
Why use Leytonstone Waste?
With hoarder house clearance services, “stuff” is removed from the house by trained and experienced technicians who are compassionate and professional. We provide you with a competitive, no-obligation estimate before we get started.
Let us handle all the lifting and loading for you, and we’ll even clean up afterward so you can relax. Get in touch today.