How You Can Help a Hoarder With Dumpster Rental
Do you know someone in your life who has a problem with hoarding? It could be an acquaintance, friend, or even a family member struggling with a hoarding disorder. No matter what your relationship is with a hoarder, it can be troubling knowing that their love of possessions has become a seemingly insurmountable disease.
Accumulating many items, animals, furniture, clothing, and even garbage can cause serious problems for the hoarder. We’ve all seen pictures of a hoarder’s house, and if their hoarding gets too severe, the individual can suffer from psychological, social, physical, financial, and even legal trouble.
How Hoarding Negatively Impacts Loved Ones
Individuals that suffer from a hoarding disorder place unrealistic value on the possessions they accumulate. Their love of possessions has become a disease and negatively impacts anyone that interacts with them. Hoarding can lead to unsanitary living conditions and an unsafe home. The excessive accumulation of items also increases the risk of fire or injury and can lead to a house being condemned by the authorities.
Dealing with a hoarding parent, sibling, or friend can often cause emotional distress as you struggle to understand the mind of the hoarder and change their habits. The conflict created can create significant stress as you try to convince the hoarder their way of life is jeopardizing their health and safety. You may also be concerned about the financial repercussions of an individual that excessively shops to add to their hoard.
In addition to the emotional struggles experienced when dealing with a hoarder, if someone also lives with someone who hoards, the stress of residing in an overly cluttered environment can take a toll. The loss of living space, potentially hazardous and unsanitary conditions and a hoarder’s refusal to change their lifestyle can be a serious detriment to a relationship.
If someone you love is hoarding, you’re probably desperate for ideas to help. You could be searching on how to help a hoarder parent, a best friend, or someone else very important to you. In certain circumstances, a professional may be needed to support a hoarder overcome their obsession with accumulating stuff. Here we will review some of the tips you can use to help someone suffering from a hoarding problem:
Understand the Cause of Hoarding
It can be frustrating to deal with a hoarder; when you don’t understand the cause of hoarding. It can be tempting just to throw everything out and clean the home. However, hoarding is usually the result of an underlying psychological issue like anxiety or depression. In many instances, hoarders who have had help cleaning their home went right back to their hoarding habits once the intervention had ceased.
The first step to helping a hoarder is to reach out to them and encourage them to seek therapy. By addressing their psychological issues with a professional, a hoarder may be able to begin the process of clearing the mind and their living area.
Begin Cleaning a Hoarder’s Home Slowly
When your hoarder is ready to begin the cleaning process, be patient and slow. Have the hoarder heavily involved in decisions on what to keep and what to toss. This will help them to feel in control, will prevent relapse, and keep the hoarder more open to suggestions. Rent a dumpster in Philadelphia, PA, so the hoarder isn’t tempted to pick unwanted items out of the garbage to save. Small victories of junk removal should be praised and the long-term benefits of a clean home must be reinforced with people who hoard.
Pay close attention to how you refer to the items the individual is hoarding. If you refer to their possessions as “garbage” or “junk,” you devalue items they deem important. Listen to how your hoarding friend or family member refers to their things. If they use language like “collectibles” or “keepsakes,” refer to their items similarly. Of course, if the hoarder is also collecting trash and disposable items, it’s just as important to differentiate them from other possessions in the home.
Ensure Measures Are Taken to Remove the Junk
In some cases, hoarders will accumulate a large amount of garbage, including soda cans, used paper plates, plasticware, and newspapers. These items are unsanitary and can increase the chances of a fire in a home.
If your loved one is hoarding garbage, removing all of it as soon as possible can be crucial to protecting the health of any person or animal living in the home. A company, such as WRS Dumpster Rental, that provides dumpster rental in Philadelphia, PA, can help you and your loved one dispose of potential health hazards quickly and safely. The health of your loved one may depend on it.
Things Not to Do When Dealing With a Hoarder
It’s best not to be judgemental when dealing with a hoarding friend or family member. Most times, their hoarding behavior stems from psychological distress, such as the loss of a loved one or other traumatic events. Hoarders also tend to be socially isolated and are extremely sensitive to criticism. Listen to their concerns and address any issues with their hoarding as delicately as possible.
Another thing to avoid when dealing with a hoarder is oversimplifying the solutions to clearing their accumulation of items. Hoarding is a complex illness and can’t be corrected overnight. Minimizing the work needed to overcome hoarding will not only let down the hoarder but also your attitude when dealing with the situation as well.
Finally, never begin discarding items without the explicit consent of the hoarder. A friend or family member that is hoarding places excessive importance on their possessions. By treating their items with respect, you are also respecting the individual’s boundaries. This can reduce conflict and increase cooperation during the clean-out of a home.
Helping a Hoarder Reclaim Their Home and Their Life
It’s important to remember that the majority of hoarders suffer from a psychological problem that has manifested itself in the need to accumulate stuff excessively. No matter what a hoarding situation has become, the hoarder should be treated with dignity. By addressing the hoarder with respect and taking the time to empathize with their situation, it’s possible to help them overcome their illness. Remember to seek professional help if necessary when dealing with someone who suffers from a mental health condition.
Contact WRS Dumpster Rental today if you are interested in renting a dumpster in Mays Landing, NJ, or the surrounding areas. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will assist you in setting up the perfect dumpster rental for whatever clean-up situation you are facing!.