How to Help Someone Who Hoards
Hoarding is a problem that affects more people than you’d expect. It’s generally something that starts out small but quickly grows. People who hoard end up with closets, rooms, and houses full of junk. This is an extremely obvious symptom of a less obvious mental health problem. The hoarding is seriously dangerous, though. People in hoarder homes are at higher risk for disease, injury, and death. Hoards can hide rotting food, they can fall on people, and they can lead to fires and collapses.
Focus on the Person, Not the Problem
Hoarding is a mental health problem at its root. The junk in the home is a serious, dangerous symptom, but it’s not the cause of the problem. If you ignore the person and the actual thoughts behind the hoarding, then nothing will actually get better. You must keep the person who hoards at the center of your solution. Anything else is not going to be effective.
Making Goals
When you are trying to help someone who hoards, you have to break things into smaller goals. Every item in a hoard has an emotional attachment for most hoarders. Thinking about getting rid of all of the stuff at once will give many of these people panic attacks and breakdowns. Instead, smaller goals will help them come to terms with change. Think about things in terms of rooms or types of items, instead of a whole home.
Encourage Them to Seek Help
Mental health problems require professional help in most cases. No matter how much you care about someone, you are unlikely to be able to manage these kinds of issues. If someone who hoards is open to change, encourage them to seek real professional help. This help should be both in mental health and in the actual physical removal of items.
Hiring a Junk Removal Service
On that subject, a true hoarder home is a cleanup job that needs professional services. If you get permission from the person who hoards, a junk removal service can clear out rooms in little to no time, and leave an organized and clean home in its wake. This can help keep things efficient and less emotional for the person who hoards.
Hoarding Cleanouts in Eastern MA & Southern NH
All Day Junk Removal is specifically trained and experienced with hoarding, and we are happy to be your cleanout resource for you and your loved one. We are prepared to take extra care to only remove the items the hoarder is ready and willing to part with, and to leave an organized & clean home behind as part of our services. To discuss our help with your hoarding situation in Eastern MA or Southern NH, please call All Day Junk Removal today at 978-682-2040.
