I can't wait for these 2 shows! This is my mom, only she is not THIS bad! I seriously need Peter and Nate to help her! Maybe I can persuade her to watch these shows. My husband swears that I am starting to do the same 'things' that my mother does by keeping things that should be thrown out. He calls me a pack rat! I even think I may see some hoarding in my 10 year old. Family curse, now three generations strong? Maybe? Perhaps we could all three watch these 2 shows together!

I hope I am home from work in time to see these shows!! The older I get, the worse my "acquiring" habits become! I do not want to turn into this person, but I worry that I will, and that I will be a big burden on my own children either as I get older and have too much to take care of, or if they are left to clean up after my death. I'm not sure why I have such a hard time disposing of items, it's like they are "alive" to me or something. I would love to get inside the brain and study why a certain number of us feel this way. I don't know if it comes from a childhood of having nothing, or maybe the fact that I never had to get rid of anything. Whatever items I did own were always passed down to others or mother got rid of them with out asking or telling. Who knows?

I can see why this topic will take 2 days! I'm a counselor and landlord and have seen hoarding first hand. I hope they add in animals can be hoarded too - and the role of medication. My husband and I bought a small house at tax sale and it took 17 dumptruck loads to clean it out and there was absolutely nothing of real value. The pet hoarders are the saddest. In our area one women was arrested 2x for filling up rented houses with more than 50 cats. As much as we have become a 'stuff' society - this disorder is NOT about money or overspending. That's compulsive shopping - which is a different ballgame.

For information on Hoarding Syndrome I would suggest going on the ocfoundation web site and finding the hoarding section. Also the leading researchers on the disorder, Randy Frost and Gail Steketee have an excellent book out called " Buried in Treasurers ".

James

And I missed this show. It would have been nice to see how the stories played out on the show. To a greater degree or less, the handful of elderly complusive horders I've had to work with have had a mental illness. Treatment, therapy, family education and invlovement (when possible), coaching, listening, time + patience have all worked in my approach. Along with lots of professional and medical input.

Only once have I had to have a senior evicted from housing to long term care because of his illness and hoarding tendencies. Adult Protective Services had to take custody, you know it's a horrible state of affairs when the State intervenes.

I hope the individuals/families profiled on this show received the care and long term instruction they need.

I don't think you missed it--- it's scheduled for the 15th and 16th, I believe.

I want to see the shows because I have relatives with some of these issues. It's supposed to be rooted in fear of not having enough, and/or a need to shield oneself with "things". One of my family members has stacks and stacks of catalogs and magazines on the floor and in every chair. Personally, I don't get it. I am not a neatnik but living like that would drive me nuts. I try to appeal to logic ("Its a tripping hazard and a fire hazard"), and offer to help clean up, but it doesn't seem to register.

See, that's what happens when you don't check the weekly schedule against the posts from Harpobear!

thanks minerva3 ... I just checked and you are right!

My mom has a serious problem with hoarding but doesn't see it as a problem. She is as bad as the person (appears to be) on the show tomorrow. You can not walk through her house any longer - there are only small trails throughout. And this is a woman who used to be an immaculate housekeeper. She started getting like this about 10 years ago and took a real turn for the worse after my dad died. The mess has filled her house, garage and now her patio. Our family is suffering because of it. We can no longer go "home" to the house we were raised in - there's no place to sit down anymore. Our kids (her grandkids) don't like to go there anymore. It's awful and it's our families dirty little secret. We are a well-known and well-respected family in our community. If people only knew. . .

That is really interesting, minerva3, I never thought of hoarding in terms of "fear of not having enough, and/or a need to shield oneself with 'things.'" I'm definitely not going to miss these shows (though I record and watch at night after the kiddos are asleep). I think my husband would be a hoarder if it weren't for me making him throw out the junk. But, I think he hoards because he's too lazy and busy to sort through things and he always thinks he's going to use it again sometime. I think sometimes its nice to keep things because they remind you of special occasions or are associated with positive emotions, but its also too easy to get carried away...

Have you looked into having her evaluated b a medical professional? It's more than just going in to throw away stuff....as it is never as simple as that.

Dear Oprah, I've just read about your show on "hoarders". It is so sad and makes me wonder if I should even share this with you. Well here goes, my father is a 77 year old man and his bedroom has 70 years of "stuff" and other things in there with him. He will not let me clean his room, yet he is always complaining about how dirty and junky it is. He has passed this habit over to my oldest brother who lives with my father. His room in description is the same way. What can I do to help this problem when they don't even want anyone to touch their precious "stuff". An anwer would be greatly appreciated. Signed "Scared"!

I just watched the video where the son returns home. I know EXACTLY how he felt. I went to the warehouse sale. It was unbelievable! I walked in and it was so overwhelming that all I could do was walk around STUNNED looking at the junk (yes, it was 99% junk). I couldn't buy a thing. I kept thinking that one day, this could be me (I'm as guilty as the next woman--buying something just because it's on sale and maybe I'll use it or gift it to someone--especially craft materials). I felt that if I bought something I'd be contributing to my own downward spiral. After walking between each row of tables with piles and piles of junk just dumped on them and the full boxes of junk still under each table, I took my empty bag (it was a 'fill your bag for $20', with 'bluelight' specials "for the next 15 minutes, fill a bag with craft materials for $1") back to the front and just left. I then sent everyone I know to check it out. You see this on TV, but to walk among it is awe-inspiring. I was literally in shock at the magnitude of stuff this woman had amassed. I'm looking forward to the show, and I really hope her disease is treatable for the long term.

Why have three postings indicating where people can receive information, in the USA, have been removed from you bulletin board. You can't use the excuse that it had links in the subject because I have found many postings on other topics that have links.

Please Explain.

James Rankine
President
Quebec OCD Foundation

Wow. I'm really astounded to realize this could be me in a few years. I am well on my way and didn't even realize it. Now it's how to turn it around. I am going to work on it. I don't want to see this happen. It is overwhelming. I'm going to start by buying "Buried in Treasures." I do throw out stuff I don't think I'll use again. I'm a crafter and will keep anything that I think I'll use in the future even if I have no idea how or when. I also buy stuff becuase it's on sale and I get a junkie high from a good deal. I probably need help but have no money to get get it. Thank you for opening my eyes to even see I have a problem. That is the beginning of change!

My heart breaks reading and watching the slide show. I feel like they're telling my life story. I've struggled for years wanting to help "fix" my mom and dad's house. It's getting deeper and deeper. One of my sisters lives out of the country. I can tell her about it, but she can't even imagine how Mom's once-clean home can be piled five or more feet high with little trails throughout, if at all. My other sister is too ashamed to speak of it. What would her friend's think? her in-laws? My brother...out of sight, out of mind.
I see the downward spiral of all that they've worked for. Their house is a wreck. They need house repairs, but they can't get them taken care of because nobody can get to the problem! Their finances are a wreck. Their relationships are a wreck. I hear her talk at family get-togethers, and it's all a shameful lie. I mention her needing help with hoarding ... denial.
How do you help someone that won't accept help? I can relate to the video of the son walking through the house for the first time in years. My emotions consist of being drained, empty, exhausted, the sick feeling in your stomach, helplessness, shame, angry. If that's how I feel seeing it on occasion, how much more stress can she feel living with it daily? She needs help. She needs a savior! Pray for her!