What HOARDING really looks like and how to STOP

If we just get rid of all the "stuff" the problem will be solved right? Hoarding is not that simple. As someone who has worked with many who struggle with hoarding, let me show you what it really looks like AND the treatment strategies we use to help someone through it.

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– – – Disclaimer – – –
For information purposes only. Does not constitute clinical advice. Consult your local medical authority for advice.

[MichaelJohnson-vieh]

My "hoarding" is inspired by a deep belief that at any moment I will lose my job, become disabled, have an unexpected expense, etc. I will not have enough money to buy new things so it feels secure to keep things so I will be ready to either use or sell things when I need to. It's a persistent belief that the future will be poorer and less secure than it is now. Pretty sad. I do not tend to buy new things - I just do not get rid of old things.

[ryanKaut]

I “hoard” screenshots. Every image, quote, funny conversation, item I want to purchase, etc. i screenshot it and save it. Thousands and thousands of photos I find so important.

[elmartell]

I have OCD, and have had hoarding tendencies since I was a child. I go through waves when it's easier to let go, but lately learning that less than 10% of all plastics will ever actually be recycled has been making me relapse 😕

[socialbutterfly]

Exactly my problem. My space is completely over filled! I have no room. No place for anything anymore. Everything is overflowed. So whenever I even start to clean an area. I give up. Because I have nowhere to put it

[NoraHelmer]

I’ve been a hoarder since my mom died, but I actually didn’t put a label to it (“hoarder”) until something clicked for me after a visit this week to a normal person’s house who was “apologizing for the mess” (a few plates not in the dishwasher and kids’ clothes on one chair that hadn’t been put away yet). And I was thinking how someone can’t even walk through my living room right now or eat at my kitchen table. So I just started watching videos on this today.

I always said I was “messy” and “disorganized” but the issue of why I could not clean up was answered by your video and some others: “I could use this someday”; “It’s too painful to think about throwing this out”; “I remember when I got this and it would be like throwing the memory away.” Last night I broke my phone case, and I actually had bought a spare a few months ago “in case I needed it, ” and I can’t even find it now because I don’t know what pile of junk that it is under. I’m so ashamed of how bad it has gotten. 😔

[Mona-ivpb]

Finally a video on this. OCD related hoarding is so rare and frustrating. Please post more videos on this topic. Thank you very much!

[Ccamero]

I saw a young man on a hoarding show who was afraid to vacuum his dog’s hair up because he thought the dog would die. I’m so glad he got home.

[diamondpearljones]

I’m 22 and I’m a hoarder. I recently started therapy and have been going over lots of things in my life and I think this has to be next.

I makes me so sad to know I’m gonna have to throw my stuff away. I wish I had a team of people to make use of the things I collected. I had so many art fashion and design projects in mind. But my garage is now filled with clothes and clothes and clothes. Paper, books, etc.

I don’t want to get married and have kids with this problem, but I don’t want to be wasteful.

[RMTH]

My parents and grandparents are hoarders. Now I’m dealing with it. It creates so much fear for me to get rid of something. I’m worried if I get rid of something I’ll regret it. Even scrunchies…today I got rid of 10. I have at least 50 more. I don’t even use them, ever. It’s distressing because they take up space but I just can’t part with them. They were my mother’s. I can’t use my kitchen. I can’t use my living room. I live in my bedroom. I’m working slowly to work through my feelings and stuff. Every time I do laundry I get rid of something. Every time I do dishes I go through a cupboard to see if I can part with something. It’s a slow process but it’s far less overwhelming than trying to tackle it all at once.

[TwentyOneOlivers]

Just started to self reflect and now realize that I am a hoarder, nothing intense like that show, but definitely not great either. Both grandmothers were hoarders and I had a very traumatic life. I don’t even know where to start to begin getting rid of stuff every time I try I end up hysterically laughing while crying and shaking. I just can’t get rid of things and no one around me understands. I just need help

[blinkry_beebabo]

Thank you so much for making this video Nate! I really needed it right now. I've had a progressively more severe hoarding problem for over 10 years. It got to the worst point ever recently with literal trash and food waste pilled up in multiple areas in my flat. I have been addressing this and doing what I can to clear the space day by day. More importantly though I am finally trying to address the root issues of why this happened. Your vids always help me so much and this was just what I needed to see today ❤️

[linden]

I'm a low level hoarder, it doesn't look too bad, my home is mostly liveable, but I have the feelings and can relate to it all. For a lot of objects there was never actually joy at the first moment of it being in my possession, just a feeling of responsibility and shame and fear of loss, right from the start. I'm working through it, it's a process. The key thing for family and others supporting me is that they don't cross my boundaries because that just retriggers all the feelings that create the anxiety and desire for control and makes things worse. I try and donate when possible as the thought of things going into landfill can be unbearable.

[tncorgi]

I married a hoarder, she grew up in a household with very little money and has a mindset that you never throw anything away if it's possible there may be a future use for it. Thrifty is one thing, obsession with junk is something else. I'm slowly helping her get out of this habit of keeping everything by working with her every few months to pull out the older, smaller items and giving away anything a charity could need and disposing of everything else. It's an uphill battle but we're working on it a little at a time.

[Dawn-xt]

I’ve been hoarding clothes for many years. I’m decluttering my house right now. I don’t want my husband to go through my stuff because it is stressful on me. I would like to see more of your videos. I need help.

[tleemf]

As someone borderline hoarder ..what I absolutely DO NOT want to be given as options
KEEP or THROW AWAY !!!
I would resist right there if you came into my home with only those 2 options ...donations..selling with throwing away the absolute LAST option, would only work for me !

[michaelm.]

For any family members that want to do the Go-in-and-throw-it-all-away approach, consider this: If anyone did that to me, I may never talk to them again. It's not about whatever is being thrown away. It's about the fact that someone didn't care what I thought/wasn't listening to me and invaded my space to purposefully do something against my will - very disrespectful, so why would I want someone like that in my life? So if want to help, think/research first. Your assumption of how 'easy' it is to fix isn't the truth of the matter.

I've got my issues to work through, so hopefully videos like this can help one step at a time. Living in a foreign country, I don't have any family to help (or hinder) me, so it's slow-going. Thank you for putting videos like this out here for us, doc.

[joshuabernal]

you have an incredible way of speaking. I have great respect for your nonjudgment. I'm looking forward to showing this to my partner and hope it helps him a little

[SamClemens-idcl]

This is the most helpful video on hoarding that i have ever seen.

Very clear minded & positive.

[mildredbarrera]

For me, it’s thinking I’m going to throw out something that I am going to have to buy later. I don’t mind giving away, I love to help others. I don’t hoard to clutter but I procrastinate on making time to give away or discard. Thank you for sharing the tips, they are very practical and have helped tremendously 😊

[nicolemills]

This is the best video I have found so far on this subject and how to deal with it!
THANK YOU!!