When collections become something else

Mental health source

I usually write posts with a sense of humor, a wry twist at the end that relieves the stress the writing may have induced.  But with this topic, there simply is no humor to be found. 

One of the many-way-too-many reality TV shows is about people who are hoarders.  It is not meant to be entertaining.

By definition, a hoarder is one who “…collects and stores, often secretly, large amounts of things such as food or money for future use,” as per Encarta.  An extreme hoarder is one who does this openly. 

According to http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/ask-and-learn/ask-expert/what-hoarding-and-how-do-i-know-if-i%E2%80%99m-hoarder-what-dif

Site, a person who hoards suffers from anxiety, some form of mental health issues, obsessive/compulsive disorder, and/or depression. 

Holding onto “things” is an extreme desire to have control of their lives.  It allows one to maintain connections to the past, be prepared for the future.

Recently Klahanie has written about and directed readers to visit this site http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_mental_health_day/en/index.html.

I would like to add my voice in support.   

Chances are all of us know someone who is a hoarder, who is struggling with mental illness. Please check out this site as well:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01hllr3  and http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/the-hoarding-syndrome-when-clutter-goes-out-of-control/

Over my lifetime, there have been at least five people whom I now recognize as hoarders.  Then, it was thought that they were simply lazy or indifferent.   

I wish…I wish I had known and had helped them receive help for mental health.