I've been reading quite a bit about hoarders. What I learned is what made me angle for the business realm rather than dealing with homes, because serious hoarding is just now being studied as the mental illness it is. Sadly, treatment is nonexistent right now. Curiously, hoarding often arises from perfectionism - a hoarder is reluctant to even start sorting since it'll never be done to their satisfaction. It also is shown to arise because certain people literally cannot assign relative value to things. Therefore, a scrap of paper is seen as valuable as, say, a wedding ring. Trying to declutter the mess leads to major stress and upset; it's very disruptive to families who have to deal with a hoarder. It tears families apart. If your dad is a true hoarder, you have my utmost sympathy.
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Date: 2011-04-28 01:35 am (UTC)I've been reading quite a bit about hoarders. What I learned is what made me angle for the business realm rather than dealing with homes, because serious hoarding is just now being studied as the mental illness it is. Sadly, treatment is nonexistent right now. Curiously, hoarding often arises from perfectionism - a hoarder is reluctant to even start sorting since it'll never be done to their satisfaction. It also is shown to arise because certain people literally cannot assign relative value to things. Therefore, a scrap of paper is seen as valuable as, say, a wedding ring. Trying to declutter the mess leads to major stress and upset; it's very disruptive to families who have to deal with a hoarder. It tears families apart. If your dad is a true hoarder, you have my utmost sympathy.