Hoarders Aren't Alone

An online slideshow to show Compulsive Hoarders they aren't alone and hopefully help them seek treatment and support for this disorder.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Hoarding
• compulsive
• messy
• hoarders
• packrat
• clutter

[jetred2]

Could I get a copy of this video? I belong to an OCD group and I think others could benefit from seeing it.

jetred

[COHDonna2]

Hi jetred2,

I wish I *could* send you a copy, but right after I made this, my laptop processor "burnt up" and I had to get a new computer. :(

Kicking myself for not immediately burning copies as there are some edits I would like to make to it now. Must be the universe telling me to make a new video, one of these days I guess!

Donna

[COHDonna2]

Thanks.

I just wanted to note, because I think it's important while watching it, that I have permission to use the photos I did, to help others see they aren't alone. Which was very generous of my mom (who has seen this and approved). She and I both, hope it will help someone out there. Donna :)

[geengeena]

i can totally relate to the anthropomorphism..i have a really vivid memory of being about 7 and eating my packed lunch in school. as i was finishing up, i noticed i'd dropped some grated cheese on the table and i felt anxious about leaving it there so i put it in my lunch box to discard of at home. i remember worrying that the cheese would be sad if i left it behind in school! sounds mad i know, but it may have been related to my mum passing away previously -i didn't want to "abandon" the cheese

[siriuslybloo]

This was right on the money. Hoarders are not "slobs" or "lazy" or "pigs." they are simply people who are "stuck" in one area of their thinking. I hope I can share it with a friend of mine who needs this kind of positive outlook on her hoarding disorder. Bless you for posting this!

[titansarethefuture]

This video fired me up emotionally and made me cry, I myself am a recovering hoarder going through therapy and taking ad's and its nice to know ur not ever alone :)

[anonhoarder]

beautifully done, is giving me inspiration and motivation.

The one thing that I think I have learned that is important is "the things I am keeping of my Dad are his memories not mine"

That is a huge step for someone like me. going to favorite and watch for motivation on days I want to give up.

[rolficus]

you forgot the"ill sell that on ebay" one

[JuvieFirst]

When I was a child, I had a stuffed animal collection...at least 50 or so, and not the "mini" ones either. Everytime I would get a new one, I would take each of the "old" ones and introduce it to the new one, one at a time until they had all met. They all had "feelings", you see. Those days are gone, as are all my stuffed animals (except for my first one), but the ability to identify with those emotions is something I will always have. I would love to be able to help...because I understand.

[JuvieFirst]

This is a really beautiful and compassionate video. It made me cry. I'm still crying. My mother was a child of the Great Depression, and had a hard time seeing anything "go to waste", so she was what we called back then, somewhat of a "pack-rat". Since her passing, an abusive marrage, divorce, and a series of other stressful and traumatic events in my life, I have been fighting this tendency as well, although I have always been sentimental about things, and hate to see anything go to waste.

[mommieyaya]

Thank you for the time it took to put this video together, along with the quotes those of us with this problem often say to others and ourselves.

[xxheidi]

Is hoarding a disorder or a decision? I'm confused on how to differentiate the two.

[fluffymum101]

My house isn't as bad as these pictures, but I can see it heading there. I bit the bullet and invited a friend in to see for herself and it was the best thing I could have done. She has contacts with people from a mental health program with a unit to deal with just this. So I have two ladies coming tomorrow to help me clean. Then every fortnight after that. For free.

Life is going to be so much better without all this junk around me :) My hoarding goes hand in hand with my bipolar.

[Spiritwolfe09]

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. A very compassionate video.