How Hoarding Influences Families
Life is difficult if you are living with a hoarder. Whether it is your mother, father or sibling, you do your best to understand their behaviour but sometimes, it gets out of hand. When you say hoarder, it refers to a person that collects and stores large quantity of things for “future use”. Dealing with a hoarder is different from dealing with people who have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
Hoarders may not realize it but their actions or behaviours will greatly influence their families. Here’s how hoarding influences their families:
Clutter
There are many things that hoarders collect and store. Sometimes it will get the most part of the house. This will cause inconvenience and discomfort to other family member because there is no enough space for other activities.
Sanitation Practices
Since there are many things in the house, sanitation is an issue. Hoarders simply stack things without cleaning it. This is an enticing sight for rats, cockroaches, ants, termites and other pests. Sanitation is important because it includes the health of the family.
If you have a mother or a father who is obsessed with hoarding, you will be embarrassed to take your friends and classmates in your house because of all the clutter and the mess. Sometimes, kids may feel resentment to their parents for having such obsession. Social Isolations
Structural Weakness
When things are too heavy for the floor to bear, that is compromising its structural integrity. Papers and magazines are very light but if a hoarder acquired tons of it, it will surely put pressure on their floorboards. If there is a fire, there is more damage because of the flammability of other materials.
If you cannot stand it, you should ask your mother, father or sibling to get help. Therapy can help him/her. We accept and love him/her whatever he/she is but sometimes destructible behaviours or practices need to be controlled.
