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By Root 477 0

The bathrooms had extensive water damage and needed to be redone, the kitchen needed new cabinets and appliances, and the whole downstairs required new walls and flooring. I encouraged Kurt to channel his shopping energy into the remodel. He threw himself into choosing appliances and researching subcontractors. This work kept him focused on making positive decisions. Suddenly, Kurt’s shopping had purpose. Luckily, when the remodel was over, Kurt became very involved in his church’s upcoming remodel. Although Kurt hasn’t had counseling to deal with the real issues behind his hoarding, he has successfully rechanneled that energy into more positive behavior.

I have done this in my own life. I replaced my gambling addiction with work. Some may say I’m just as addicted to cleaning as I was to gambling, and they might be right. For me it worked to substitute a positive addiction for something negative. I haven’t gambled since 1999, and I’ve refocused my life to revolve around my family and my work. I’m not saying that’s scientifically or psychologically correct, but for me it worked.

▶ Depression

Roxanne, the hoarder who saved all of her daughter’s items, showed all the classic signs of depression. She didn’t make eye contact or smile when she spoke in a colorless monotone. She wore the same clothes for several weeks in a row, even when they were covered with food stains. Her dirty brown hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and she admitted that she didn’t wash herself regularly. Roxanne ate a lot of fast food, and she was overweight.

When Roxanne opened a package of food, she tossed the wrapper on the floor with a “why bother” attitude. She had basically given up—some days, she just stayed in bed.

Depression is a crippling illness, erasing a person’s desire and ability to make daily life decisions. Someone who is depressed usually knows what to do in order to get better but can’t muster the energy to actually do it. To a depressed person, even a small job like getting out of bed or taking a shower can look overwhelmingly hopeless and impossible.

A depressed person withdraws from normal life in the same way that a hoarder does. Depression is marked by decreasing interest in organization, self-care, and interaction with the outside world, which are all traits I see often in advanced hoarders.

Depressed people seem to be perpetually sad, angry, or anxious. Eventually, if the disease isn’t treated, depressed people can become so frustrated and worn down by their negative outlook that they become suicidal. I’ve seen this in hoarders too, and it should be taken seriously.

This is another situation where it’s not clear which comes first—depression or hoarding. Dr. Chabaud says that depression in someone who is genetically predisposed may be triggered by a traumatic event. That same event can also trigger hoarding behavior, and the two disorders can develop simultaneously.

Ironically, I’ve noticed that hoarders who are depressed usually don’t fight a cleanup. They just lack the initiative to make the push and get it done themselves, and they generally accept help. However, under these circumstances, it is even more important to understand that the cleanup on its own will not solve the problem. Unless the underlying issues are resolved, the hoarding will come back. Depression isn’t just an annoyance; it can lead to a seriously life-threatening situation.

▶ Social Phobia

Ben, the “pizza man” who also hoarded vintage airplane parts, was shy and uncomfortable around people. He avoided group settings because they made him anxious. Ben seemed to have an issue that Dr. Chabaud says is sometimes linked with hoarding—social phobia.

Hoarders who have a social disorder connect more with the world of objects than with people. Their possessions become their friends. Those possessions won’t threaten them with pressing questions or awkward social moments. Hoarders can control their relationship with these items more than they can control relationships with friends or family members.

This disorder, Dr. Chabaud says, isn’t necessarily