Hoarding disorder: What is it?
Hoarding disorder is a psychological condition in which a person has a strong urge to save numerous goods, regardless of whether they are valuable financially. When the person tries to get rid of the items, it causes them great distress. Their daily lives are hampered by hoarding.
Newspapers, magazines, household products, and apparel are typical hoarded objects. Animals are frequently neglected by hoarding disorder sufferers who occasionally amass a huge number of them.
Dangerous clutter can result from hoarding disorders. Your disease may negatively impact your quality of life in a number of ways. In their interpersonal and professional life, it may lead to stress and embarrassment. Additionally, it may result in unsafe and unsanitary living circumstances.
Is hoarding a form of anxiety?
A hoarding disorder is a unique disorder even though it is categorized as a subtype of the anxiety disorder obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) spectrum. Hoarding was previously considered an OCD subtype in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases (DSM), the American Psychiatric Association’s official categorization of mental disorders.
Healthcare professionals, however, were running into hoarding patients who had no other mental health issues. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), which is the most recent edition, was updated to add hoarding disorder as an independent disease in the OCD spectrum.
Saving particular goods, such as comic books, money, or stamps, is typical of collecting. These would be carefully chosen, and usually arranged in a specific fashion. This kind of collecting has no detrimental effects on your daily life. The arranging of the objects in a way that makes them simple to use or access is not a part of hoarding. Items of little or no monetary worth, like scraps of paper or broken toys, are frequently hoarded by those who suffer from hoarding disorder. Their daily lives are also badly impacted by hoarding.
Who is impacted by hoarding disorder?
Hoarding disorder frequently starts in youth and becomes worse with time, becoming problematic by the mid-30s. People over the age of 60 and those who have additional mental health issues, particularly anxiety and depression, are more likely to suffer from hoarding disorder.
If you or a loved one are experiencing a hoarding problem in the Vancouver, BC area, we can help you! Our specialists are trained to take care of the most extreme cases of decluttering homes. Feel free to contact us by clicking here, or should you prefer to talk to us, give us a call at 1-855-468-2588
Hoarding videos
Visualizing the five levels of hoarding in a bedroom
Welcome to a revealing journey through the five levels of hoarding in a bedroom. In this comprehensive video, we delve into the spectrum of clutter, from minimal disorganization to extreme hoarding, shedding light on the varying degrees and complexities of this challenging issue.
Are you or someone you know struggling with clutter and disorganization? Do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you have in your home? If so, you might be dealing with hoarding, a mental disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Hoarding is not just a matter of being messy or lazy. It is a serious condition that can have negative impacts on your health, safety, relationships, and quality of life. Hoarding can also pose a fire hazard, attract pests, and create legal problems.
Hoarding can be classified into five levels, each with its own characteristics and challenges.
Dangers of Fire and Hoarding: Tips for a Safer Environment
While hoarding might at first seem to be a logistical problem, it also poses a threat to your home and your neighbourhood. Today, we aim to shed light on the dangers of fire and hoarding, while urging you to take steps to create a safer living environment. In extreme cases, we offer professional hoarding clean-up services as a solution to the most challenging situations.
When hoarders lose contact with family members and how to break the cycle
Hoarding is not an individual problem but it’s a public health issue that affects the health and safety of individuals, families, neighbours. People who hoard have an increased risk of fire, pest infestations, falls, respiratory problems, and even evictions.
1st Hoarding Clean Up featured on Hoarders:Canada
We are pleased to announce that 1st Hoarding CleanUp has been selected by Blue Ant Media, a renowned TV production company, for the Vancouver episode of Hoarders:Canada, which premiered on Makeful TV on April 29, 2023.
Episode 9 and 10 (Aired on April 29, 2023) center on Darlene from Burnaby, British Columbia, whose hoarding problem has gotten so severe that there is no longer a place inside her house where she can sleep, so she had to set up a rudimentary tent in the backyard.
Darlene’s self-titled “mystical mess” has pushed her out the door and into a freezing-cold bedroom on the porch; the team helps the New Age believer regain control and restore good vibes in her home.
We genuinely appreciate Blue Ant Media’s confidence in 1st Hoarding Clean Up, which allowed us to work together on this project and return Darlene’s lost space.
If you know someone who suffers from a hoarding disorder you can reach out to Hoarders:Canada and nominate them to be featured on the show and get a complimentary hoarding clean up.
Please contact Hoarders:Canada through their submission form (click here), or call 1-800-858-6603
What is a hoarding disorder? Decluttering will help lift the burden from your shoulders.
Are you or a loved one having difficulties getting rid of clutter, or experiencing hoarding issues that are impacting your life?
At 1st Hoarding Clean Up we understand what some folks experience and we know how to help overcome the burden and stress that hoarding places put on individuals and families. Aside from mental concerns, there are physical risks due to tripping hazards or collapsing piles of paper, or books, and in some cases fire risks.
Decluttering a home is working together with the person to help them understand we are not there to simply enter a home and throw everything out. Some possessions accumulated over the years have a deep sentimental value and we respect that. These objects are kept to create a connection with happy memories and moments in their lives. A big part of our job is to show compassion and we take the utmost care to respect your home and your items.
At the end of the day, what really matters is to improve your quality of life while getting rid of the clutter.
If you need help with decluttering, feel free to contact us. We provide a discreet and professional service in the Lower Mainland. Contact us by clicking here or talk to one of our compassionate specialists at 1-855-468-2588 (1-855-GOT-CLUTTER).
Common types of hoarding
Hoarding occurs when someone has difficulty getting rid of possessions and those items build up, eventually taking over the person’s residence. Some people find it hard to get rid of clutter, which often leads to homes that are disorganized, and messy. Those with compulsive hoarding disorder often experience stress or anxiety when they think of throwing away their possessions.
Cases of hoarding disorder can range from minor to severe, but there are ways to help. We look at the most common types of hoarding, from animal hoarding to garbage hoarding.
If you need help with decluttering, feel free to contact us. We provide a discreet and professional service in the Lower Mainland. Contact us by clicking here or talk to one of our compassionate specialists at 1-855-468-2588 (1-855-GOT-CLUTTER).
I have a hoarding problem, I need help
If hoarding or clutter is impacting your life, we would be honored to provide our expertise and assistance to help you. Making a decision to reach out for help is one that we understand could trigger many emotions.
We respect the courage it takes to reach out, and we hope we can assist by lifting the burden from your shoulders. We can help you! Everything is completely confidential and we do not alert anyone to your situation. We work with you step-by-step during the process and develop a plan that works best for you.
What is Hoarding?
Hoarding occurs when someone has difficulty getting rid of possessions and an extreme build-up of items takes over the home; this often leads to homes that are disorganized, messy, and overwhelming.
Those with Compulsive Hoarding Disorder often experience stress or anxiety when they think of throwing away their possessions.
If you are experiencing a hoarding problem, feel free to contact us by clicking here, or should you prefer to speak to one of our hoarding specialists, call us at 1-855-468-2588 (1-855-GOT-CLUTTER).
Are you, or is one of your colleagues, struggling to work with someone who hoards?
If so that’s unsurprising: engaging with, assessing and providing support to such people can be complex and frustrating.
Hoarding presents specific dangers, health and physical hazards, and in many cases involves bio-hazard material clean up and removal of clutter, trash, animal urine or feces, mold, rodents and much more.
How we can assist your clients in hoarding situations
With over 20 years of experience and in-depth knowledge in cleaning, disinfecting and removing hazardous materials, rest assured your client’s homes will be left clean, safe and sanitary.