Another sign is if you begin to have an unreasonable attachment to things. Hoarders get to the point where they can no longer use living spaces for the purposes for which they were designed, Snyderman says. Instead, items are stored in the oven, kitchen sink, or bed. People with serious hoarding problems also seem to have difficulty making decisions. Hoarding often becomes apparent in late adolescence, but it can be triggered by a traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one or a divorce.
People start collecting things to remember that person.
Hoarders can also specialize, developing a passion for certain objects, whether tools, soda cans, newspapers or even animals. People who have dozens of cats, for example, are considered hoarders, Snyderman says. Hoarders often don't get help until a public health official is called in, as in Chris' case. Cognitive behavioral therapy, as described above, is really the primary form of therapy. Hoarders have to learn how to throw things away.