Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Are You A Hoarder?
Spring cleaning one’s home is the best therapeutic treatment you can give yourself – so the doctors attest. They say that when we hoard things we are actually not dealing with issues in your personal lives. It is a disorder that creeps up on us and can cause great stress when you are faced with it. Many people just let it be and keep on hoarding until they actually run out of space.
Why is is that we are so attached to things? Do they offer some kind of solace on a subconscious level or do we have a problem with separation? You might have bought a snugride car seat for your child years ago, and still can’t seem to part with it. Or how about stacking your refrigerator with stuff that has expired a few years ago.
Let’s look at the definition of hoarding so as to see exactly what it is:
Hoarding or cluttering, is the unreasonable collection and holding of things or even animals, until they interfere with one’s day-to-day affairs such as home, health, family, work and most importantly one’s social life. In medical terms; Hoard and Clutter syndrome; Packrat Syndrome and Compulsive Hoarding. It may be a form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Severe hoarding causes all sorts of safety and health hazards in and around your home or office space. It can be a great catalyst for insect infestations, not to mention rats and mice. They can spread diseases which will make you ill or even kill a person. Should you be living with a family, they are also in direct danger of contracting these diseases.
Having said that, you probably haven’t even thought about the potential fire hazard in your home. Because of all the rodents and insects around, they will no doubt be gnawing away at your electrical appliances and wiring within your walls. It takes just one or two appliances like maybe home space heaters or toasters to cause a spark and your hoarded magazines, books, files, will go up in flames in seconds.
You are also potentially creating hazards by storing plastic around heat, say around your kitchen or even worse you could start a fire by having a baby bath to close to other heating equipment. Plastic melts very quickly and gets extremely hot, which could drip onto items and cause them to burn, damage and disfigure your children.
You need not be a medical expert to identify a hoarding problem in your life. You need only look around you and start asking yourself those important questions. Start dealing with one room only and see if you can clear it out. By doing this you will start thinking and addressing your personal problems as well.
