The Dangers of Hoarding—Good Reasons to Avoid the Habit

Hoarding is a behavior that is often described as the buying, acquiring, and failure to discard large quantities of items that have no value, such as old newspapers, broken furniture, outdated clothing, and used toothbrushes. 

Often, people who suffer from hoarding disorder have difficulty parting with the items they have acquired. This behavior is often accompanied by clutter, which negatively impacts the appearance of a home or apartment and can lead to other serious issues.

Today, let's explore some excellent reasons to avoid hoarding. Here are the dangers of hoarding you should know about:

Internal Health Hazards

On a mental level, hoarding often stems from a person's struggle with an internal problem. Hoarding can also be a symptom of a mental illness, like paranoia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or anxiety.

Since the person with a hoarding disorder cannot correctly store their items, they often pile their items in the home or apartment, leaving little or no room to move around. This can cause the person to experience mental anguish, leading to uncomfortable feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression.

External Health Hazards

Because the items the hoarder has acquired are often useless or broken, they can accumulate in a home or apartment and pose serious safety risks. This is because ids and other items can obstruct doorways and exits, forcing the hoarder to climb over, crawl under, or squeeze through the things, often leading to injury.

The piles and piles of items a hoarder compiles can also lead to mold and bacteria growth. This can lead to poor indoor air quality and the spread of respiratory illness. Still, it can also lead to mental anguish since mold and bacteria can cause allergic reactions and irritate the eyes, nose, and throat.

Structural Health Hazards

Hoarding can also cause significant damage to the structure of a home or apartment building since hoarded items can obstruct doorways, windows, staircases, and other parts of a home or apartment. This can make it almost impossible for someone to escape in a fire or other emergency. In addition, hoarded items can also weaken the building structure itself.

How to Avoid the Dangers of Hoarding

If you suspect someone you know has a hoarding disorder, you can often help them with their hoarding behavior. For example, you can ask them if they would be willing to go to counseling or therapy sessions to help them learn how to cope with their hoarding symptoms properly. Another treatment method you can use is to help a hoarder clean up their home over time. You can also personally help them discard unneeded items by donating them to charity or taking them to a recycling center.

We can all help prevent hoarding behavior by properly disposing of our trash and recycling our items on a societal level. You can also keep your items in good condition and not take on more than you can store, which can help prevent hoarding behavior.

The Bottom Line

Hoarding is a dangerous disorder that can put a person's health and belongings at risk. If you know someone suffering from a hoarding disorder, take steps to help them heal. If you suffer from a hoarding disorder, don't hesitate to seek the help of a health and wellness professional. The sooner you get service, the better!

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