Understanding Messiness and Hoarding By Marcia Sirota (2023)

FAQs

What are the 5 stages of hoarding? ›

Perfectionism and worrying

If you hoard things, you might feel very worried about making mistakes – also known as perfectionism. You might also find it hard to make decisions, plan ahead or work out how to do tasks. These could be possible reasons why some of us are more vulnerable to hoarding.

Indeed, according to psychological research, sloppiness might be an indicator of emotional distress. Like someone with OCD who feels they need to micromanage every aspect of their life, someone who is chronically disorganized may suffer from depression or another mental health condition.

Psychologically, a messy room can represent:

A disorganized mind. Feeling overwhelmed. Difficulty letting go (common for hoarding behaviors) Trouble focusing on a task.

Personality. Many people who have hoarding disorder have a behavior style that includes trouble making decisions and problems with attention, organization and problem-solving. Family history. There is a strong association between having a family member who has hoarding disorder and having the disorder yourself.

Don't refer to their possessions as 'junk' or 'rubbish'. This shows that you don't understand their connection to the objects or why they want to keep them. They will be less likely to open up to you if you talk about their things this way. Don't focus on a total clean-up.

Hoarding disorders are challenging to treat because many people who hoard frequently do not see it as a problem, or have little awareness of how it's affecting their life or the lives of others.

“In addition, hoarders exhibit a need for control over their possessions, which echoes the efficacy and effectance motivation in psychological ownership. Thus, hoarding may be an extreme form of psychological ownership when viewed through the lens of consumer behavior.”

Many people with hoarding disorder also experience other mental disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or alcohol use disorder.

Psychology says that messiness can indeed be a sign that a person is having trouble. Just like someone who is suffering from OCD and has to control everything, being a messy person might show that they are dealing with depression or some other mental illness.

Is messiness genetic or learned? ›

Dr Brendan Zietsch of the University of Queensland studies the genetic underpinnings of human behaviour and says people can inherit a genetic tendency for messiness from one or both parents. “Both genes and environment play a role in influencing traits in general.

If you don't clean your house, it might mean you are busy and have little time to clean and organize. It might be a sign that you have too much stuff. Or it might be the result of having young kids in the house who are usually not motivated to clean up after themselves.

People with depression can often find themselves living in messy spaces. This is because feelings of hopelessness, low energy, and lack of motivation can make it hard to keep on top of everyday tasks, such as tidying.

Abstract. The messy house syndrome (Diogenes syndrome) is present when, owing to a disordering of the personality structure, a person is unable to keep order, for example, in the household or his finances. Such persons are also referred to as "messies".

"Excessive clutter and disorganization are often symptoms of a bigger health problem, such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), depression or obsessive compulsive disorder," says Hurtado. "If this is the case, the behavior needs to change versus the logistics of the home, like space or layout."

Conclusions: Hoarding symptoms are associated with increased emotional contagion and decreased cognitive empathy. Empathy may be an avenue for understanding and treating interpersonal difficulties in hoarding disorder.

Two of the most common forms are cat hoarding and dog hoarding. However, a person can hoard any animal.

They cringe at the prospect of being judged as broken, flawed, or inadequate by others. They already believe it is probably true. How could it not be when they tell themselves the very same things? This leaves them in a chronic state of feeling overwhelmed.

“One of the characteristics of hoarding is that people feel this sense of discomfort if they feel like they may be giving away something that they could use in future,” says Hollander, explaining that patients often become greatly distressed or even angry if they are pushed to give up apparently useless or excess ...

Hoarding disorder often begins during adolescence and gradually worsens with age, causing significant issues by the mid-30s. Hoarding disorder is more likely to affect people over 60 years old and people with other mental health conditions, especially anxiety and depression.

What is the fastest way to clean a hoarder's house? ›

The medicines most commonly used are a type of antidepressant called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Research continues on the most effective ways to use medicines in the treatment of hoarding disorder.

These results suggest that hoarders' decisions about possessions are hampered by abnormal activity in brain regions used to identify the emotional significance of things. “They lose the ability to make relative judgments, so the decision becomes absolutely overwhelming and aversive to them,” Tolin says.

Why are hoarders dirty? A hoarder's house fills with a range of items from rubbish to collectable items and the clutter makes the house feel dirty. Hoarding takes up lots of space in a house, stopping people from being able to properly clean the house.

Signs of compulsive hoarding include always having clutter, showing emotional distress disposing of items, not inviting others over, having a shopping addiction, not allowing others to touch or borrow their possessions, having multiple pets, and constantly talking about their collection.

Tell the person what to discard or touch their possessions without consent. The items being hoarded may seem worthless to you, but it's important to allow the hoarder to feel in control. Remain respectful, let your loved one decide what to get rid of, and ask permission before touching anything.

When it comes to hoarding, Americans are all over the map. South Carolina had the highest percentage of self-identified hoarders at 50%, followed by Ohio at 42% and Alabama at 41.7%.

Clutter: Possessions are disorganized and may accumulate around living areas. Collecting: Possessions are part of a larger set of items. Display does not impede active living areas in home. Hoarding: Possessions become unorganized piles preventing rooms from being used for their intended purpose.

More than 70% of hoarders are women, many are elderly, and recidivism is nearly universal. Some hoarders are sociopaths indifferent to the concerns or needs of either people or animals, driven by a need to accumulate and control animals. Sometimes the hoarder calls her collection a shelter or animal refuge.

Pros and cons of hiring Type D personality

People with Type D personality traits are usually very organized; being around a messy environment or disorganization will bother them.

What do you call a person who is always messy? ›

oinker (slang) pig [⇒ thesaurus] (figurative) schlep. schlump (slang) scruff.

Being messy is not necessarily a symptom of depression. However, it can result from symptoms of depression such as hopelessness, lack of motivation, or social isolation.

Having a messy house is very normal and common, even if it doesn't seem so. Mess can be found in every house. Sometimes clutter becomes a bit overwhelming, but there's no need to panic because all houses become messy at times. If the space is still sanitary there shouldn't be serious long-term harm.

According to home organizers and experts in habit formation, anyone can learn to be neat, even if they've spent a lifetime doing the opposite.

How messy or tidy you're feeling can also correlate with your mental health. Some people may use tidying as a stress reliever, while for others it slips off while they're stressed. Life traumas (such as divorce or death of a loved one), transitions (such as having a baby), or illness can cause a person to backslide.

Polluted air vents and untidy filters can contaminate the air. Soiled sheets and bedding can cause skin rashes and irritations. Dust mites can trigger allergies, asthma, and other respiratory issues. Bugs, pests, vermin, and critters are carriers of germs and many diseases.

If you don't dust or vacuum, your home will turn into an allergy festival. Pollen will gather in all the nooks in your home, pet hair will lie in wait, and dust mites will come out in force. All the things that make your eyes water and your nose run will be sitting around your home making your allergies worse.

Excessive clutter and disorganization are often symptoms of a bigger health problem. People who have suffered an emotional trauma or a brain injury often find housecleaning an insurmountable task.

Many of these individuals have a mental disorder which allows them to create mess and then live in it without concern. They may be able to function adequately in other areas of their life, but their psychological problems are demonstrated by the literal dirty secret of their filthy home.

What does a messy room do to your brain? ›

But research shows disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains. Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganisation drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus. The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory.

Research has found that a messy home is linked with worsening well-being. For example, a 2020 study found that both adults and kids who lived in disorganized households were more likely to experience cognitive and behavioral problems. A cluttered home also contributed to higher family conflict.

A cluttered, untidy environment actually generates more of the stress hormone cortisol in the brain. So, if your home and living spaces are clutter-free, tidy and clean then you can assume you'll generate less cortisol and reap the rewards mentally.

While some chalk it up to laziness, there's actually underlying psychology of clutter and disorganization that keeps people from tidying up. Potential reasons people hold onto clutter include: They feel overwhelmed: It's often a huge job to get rid of things, which can be both physically and mentally exhausting.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is the first treatment recommended for hoarding disorder.

Level 1: The Least Severe Level with Few Indicators

The individual that is a level 1 hoarder finds throwing items away difficult and does an unreasonable amount of shopping for items that are not needed. A level 1 situation may appear as follows: Light clutter. No noticeable odors.

What is a Level 4 hoarder? ›

Hoarding Level Four: Sewer backup, hazardous electrical wiring, flea infestation, rotting food on counters, lice on bedding, and pet damage to home. Hoarding Level Five: Rodent infestation, kitchen and bathroom unusable due to clutter, human and animal feces, and disconnected electrical and/or water service.

Conclusions: Hoarding symptoms are associated with increased emotional contagion and decreased cognitive empathy. Empathy may be an avenue for understanding and treating interpersonal difficulties in hoarding disorder.

Clutter: Possessions are disorganized and may accumulate around living areas. Collecting: Possessions are part of a larger set of items. Display does not impede active living areas in home. Hoarding: Possessions become unorganized piles preventing rooms from being used for their intended purpose.

Many factors may play a role, including personality traits and stressful life events. It is important to rule out dementia, depression and other mental health conditions that may be contributing to their hoarding behaviors.

Hoarding disorder is a mental health problem that a doctor can diagnose. But you might also experience hoarding as part of another mental or physical health problem. If you hoard, you might: Feel the need to get more things, even if you have a lot already.

The indicators of a Level 2 Hoard include visible clutter, difficulty in cleaning the hoarded home, messy kitchens and bathrooms, blocked exits from the home, excessive accumulation of garbage, formation of pest populations, self-isolation of the hoarder, and presence of pet dander and excrement.

Create A Discussion

Encourage the person with the problem to open up to you. Reassure them that you're there to listen and not be judgemental. People struggling with hoarding may be in strong denial so be patient and allow them to have their say, whatever that may be.

Hoarding behaviors can begin as early as the teenage years, although the average age of a person seeking treatment for hoarding is about 50. Hoarders often endure a lifelong struggle with hoarding. They tend to live alone and may have a family member with the problem.

Parents might feel glued to their "stuff." But hoarding can become child abuse. Children growing up with an alcoholic parent may feel neglected. When they get older, they may be furious that they had to live with a shameful secret.

Do hoarders feel embarrassed? ›

Hoarders generally experience embarrassment about their possessions and feel uncomfortable when others see them. Their clutter often takes over functional living space, and they feel sad or ashamed after acquiring additional items.