For many years, hoarding was perceived as a poor habit of undisciplined, gluttonous, or messy people. However, it is now identified as a mental disorder,
and it requires treatment.
The subtle examples of hoarding may not seem as distressing as their televised counterparts; however, any type of hoarding tendencies can adversely impact the quality of your life. Individuals with hoarding disorder often struggle to part with their possessions. We all indeed have a couple of sentimental items that we don't want to give up on, but people with hoarding tendencies may want to latch on to every item, regardless of their true value.
Here are some signs that indicate you may be a hoarder.
You are extremely attached to your belongings.
To outsiders, all your items may look chaotic, but if you have hoarding tendencies, you feel extremely attached to your belongings. Individuals with hoarding disorder sometimes get so attached to their stuff that they forbid other people to even touch or borrow it. It might even lead to tensions between them and their family or friends.
Some parts of your house are unusable.
People exhibiting hoarding tendencies often own a collection of items that gradually takes over all the usable parts of their house. It is common for all their chairs, tables, and even an entire room to get stockpiled with their belongings, to the extent that it transforms into an unusable corner. It will slowly make their home uninhabitable and choked with useless things.
You hoard unnecessary items.
Some people exhibiting hoarding disorder consider even things of little to no worth as valuable items for collection. They may hold onto things like restaurant trash or napkins for future use. If you often experience a compulsive need to collect and preserve things that have no objective use, then it is time to take note of this behavior.
Show an unwillingness to have people at their home.
This usually happens when the clutter gets so out of control that they feel embarrassed to let other people see it. Most individuals exhibiting hoarding tendencies feel extremely isolated and experience social anxiety. When they allow guests into their homes, people are usually shocked seeing the clutter and critically comment on it.
You view cleaning as an overwhelming chore.
The clutter often perpetuates other issues. For example, the thought of cleaning may seem like an exceptionally challenging task for those who hoard stuff. All the accumulated items can make tasks like dusting and vacuuming very difficult.
If you think you are a potential hoarder and the clutter is causing distress, seek professional assistance immediately.
