Hoarding is an incredibly frequent problem. It’s not just a problem for the person who is hoarding, but also for family members and friends. Many hoarders are not aware or unwilling to acknowledge that they are suffering from problems. The denial of the problem can cause possessions to dominate a individual’s life. There are many reasons why that this could be an issue, particularly the cleanliness and organization. However, cleanliness and organization are only the beginning of the problem concerning the effects of hoarding.
A variety of other adverse effects can be triggered by hoarding. Below we will examine 10 of the negative side effects of hoarding that nobody is talking about.
10. Hoarding Often Leads to Financial Difficulties
In the worst cases hoarders are trapped within their home. The reason for this is because they continue to stack (or stack) objects on top of one another. When one area is filled up with “junk,” items are placed closer and closer to the interior leaving smaller and smaller spaces for the people who live there.
In this type of hoarding there could be a lack of order. If you are thinking you’re having trouble finding the keys to your house, try searching through the house of a hoarder in search of a specific item. Due to a shocking inability to organize their lives, the hoarders may get rid of important documents. This includes bills, credit cards and social security records receipts important tax documents, important mail and even pay stubs. In some instances mail can never be opened, resulting in the occurrence of late fees, debts and other negative results.
A lot of financial problems can be due to spending too much to accumulate hoards. Hoarders are often thought of as economical, but their packed homes might suggest otherwise. Although it might appear to be not the initial thought when you think of hoarding, many hoarders face financial problems because they are unable to get the things they require.
9. Obesity Is a Side Effect of Hoarding
Hoarders are more likely than others to be overweight and this can be due to several reasons:
The first is quite practical. People who are hoarders tend to store a variety of things in their homes creating homes that “shrink” by size. This means that their usable space gets less and less. In homes with smaller spaces to move around people who are hoarders tend sit or move around less. When hoarding becomes more frequent the space available. These changes can lead to the weight gain and eventually overweight more likely.
The other reason that the obesity issue is often linked to hoarding has to do with psychological. Obsessive compulsive Disorder (OCD) can be often connected to hoarding. People with OCD may feel driven to keep items that which other people would dispose of. OCD is also linked to overweight. Both disorders are directly related to the control of impulses (or the absence of it).
8. Hoarding May Be a Sign of Trauma
Hoarding isn’t a behavior that just happens to happen and is usually connected to childhood. There are two main reasons for hoarding:
- The first one is trauma. People who have experienced abuse or other forms of instability during their childhood (or perhaps later on in their lives) are more likely to be hoarders.
- The third cause being a child of an addict. Children take habits and habits learned in their families from parents. The same is true for hoarding. A lot of hoarders learn how they behave from parents, or other family members they’ve lived with.
Hoarding is a side effect that many do not discuss is the root causes of the disorder. If you find someone who is hoarding, you are likely to have psychological problems that are contributing to their behavior.
7. Potential Links Between Hoarding and ADHD
Hoarding, as mentioned earlier, is frequently associated with different mental disorders. Hoarding is often linked to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a fairly widespread disorder. The main symptoms that are associated with ADHD are hyperactivity, inattention and an impulsive nature. The three symptoms mentioned above can cause the desire to store things and can make the negative effects more severe.
People who suffer from ADHD struggle with prioritizing also. Therefore, it is easy to understand the ways ADHD can make hoarding more difficult. An often-ignored (and frequently unnoticed) connection is the one with hoarding as well as ADHD. In some instances, medication helps hoarders manage their behavior.
6. Hoarding Can Lead to Stress or Even Depression
For many , the process of letting go of something could be a source of relief. It could be an old anger or a sweatshirt that isn’t fitting you for a long time. This is, however, an alternative to being hoarders.
Hoarders prefer to hold on to their possessions, believing that keeping their possessions will make them happy. All of these factors (and their storage, cleanliness, etc.) could lead to increased stress levels. It’s more difficult to be relaxed in a messy space, which is why hoarders are more stressed amount than other.
Hoarding may also cause feelings of isolation. Hoarders can be embarrassed to invite guests over. In extreme instances hoarders may not wish to leave their home. The stress and isolation could cause hoarders to develop depression. While it isn’t evident, depression and stress are two of the obvious side consequences of hoarding.
5. Hoarding Can Create Legal Difficulties
While they might not be conscious of it, hoarders usually have issues organizing their home. This includes keeping important documents. It’s difficult enough for the average person to keep track of tax, insurance wills, tax returns and other important documents. In the case of a hoarder’s home this can be nearly impossible.
Due to mental issues, hoarders may not seek help in finding the documents. In extreme situations hoarders could not be able to find the most crucial documents. A legal summons could be one of the documents. The hoarder could be forced to miss a crucial juror or court appearance.
Hoarders can also face legal actions from neighbors, landlords, homeowner’s associations and others who people who dislike the hoard’s filthiness or smell, or for a insecurity. Legal issues are a real consequence of hoarding, however they’re not the first thing that comes to the mind.
4. Hoarding Can Be Personally Unclean and Even Dangerous
From an outside perspective, hoarding might appear to be “no thing at all.” It is even dismissed. However, this isn’t the situation. Hoarding is not a joke as it’s a very dangerous behavior.
Hoarding homes pose a risk to the health of those living in them. This could be due to an overall lack of hygiene and food waste, dirty bathrooms, mold and poor air quality. All of these are significant hygiene issues. In extreme cases hoarders could even block areas of their houses. Hoarders can store their possessions in showers, bathtubs, or even above refrigerators or toilets.
To a non-expert it may appear absurd. However, the reality is that hoarders could collect so much which they hinder their entry or exit from their home which can block rescue ways. With all the items and papers piled up the risk of having an fire is higher. The risk of falling and injuring yourself is higher also. It could be dangerous for you personally and unsanitary to store it.
3. Hoarding Often Causes the Mistreatment of Pets
Hoarding is a risk for anyone and dangerous, as described earlier. However, it is even more hazardous for pets who are innocent and affectionate. In the end, most pets remain inside. This is a way of breathing in the same air that is potentially hazardous and drinking and eating food at home. It’s not just morally wrong however, it’s frequently considered a crime which can be as serious as an felon. Hoarders who abuse animals (including hoarding excessive animals) they could be required to:
- Pay a penalty
- Get out of the house
- Refuse the animal(s) that is in question.
- Serve jail time
Inappropriately treating or neglecting animals is a frequent, yet often ignored an adverse effect of hoarding behaviors.
2. Hoarding Can Lead to Homelessness
If hoarding reaches the point of being uncontrollable when it reaches a certain level, officials (or landlords) are able to remove the hoarder from their residence. The tenant can be removed from a home if it isn’t in compliance with local regulations and regulations. It could even happen in the event that the hoarder is homeowner, but the house might be condemned in this situation. This is quite drastic and both landlords and authorities are generally hesitant about making this choice.
But, finding a new home isn’t easy after the hoarder has been taken away from their residence. The homeless shelters can not be welcoming to people who are known to hoard. In the worst-case scenario hoarding may cause a disastrous consequence such as homelessness.
1. Hoarding Leads to an Unsafe Environment for Children of All Ages
In the end, hoarding is harmful to children (and the other tenants who reside in the house that is hoarded). Children are the most vulnerable to the risks of hoarding. In extreme situations the children could even be taken away from a house when the house is found to be dangerous.
Alongside the physical hazards of living in a cluttered home, children who are raised in this type of environment tend to replicate the same behavior later on. That is, they adopt habits and behaviors from their parents. This is a wonderful aspect, but one thing parents do not want to transmit is a habit of hoarding. Another aspect that many aren’t aware of in the context of hoarding is the impact it has on children.
