Mental Health Education & Inspiration LLC
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hoarding Disorder?
Hoarding disorder is characterized by an intense attachment to many belongings and extreme distress about letting go of things. The accumulation of possessions becomes so great that life is affected, not only how one manages around the home, but often relationships, too. Sometimes people are actively acquiring things regularly, too, but not always. About 5% of the population has hoarding disorder so that’s 1 out of every 20 people. It is a condition that can be passed down through families, and this can be through genetics or behavioral modeling.
Hoarding affects only older adults, right?
No! This is a misconception because people are often seeking help (or being required by outsiders to get it) in their 50’s, 60’s, and up, after they’ve been in a home for a long time when things have built up to an overwhelming degree. HOWEVER, hoarding behavior can begin in late adolescence and amp up in one’s 20’s and 30’s and 40’s. Adults of all ages should be welcomed to get help with hoarding tendencies, ideally, before major life difficulties result- like family problems, or threats of eviction. Sometimes hoarding begins after one suffers a difficult event, like a big loss, or a trauma. For some people though, it’s just a behavior that comes to them naturally and one can’t pinpoint what began it.
Can people who hoard “get better”?
Absolutely!! I wouldn’t be doing what I do if this were not the case! It’s a matter of helping people alter their thinking about objects and the feelings associated with them, and making behavioral changes. Addressing hoarding disorder and overkeeping tendencies requires lifestyle change, but it’s for the positive and must be worked on without blame, shame, and criticism. It’s an amazing feeling to witness people make hard changes and experiencing the great benefits that result.
Do people who keep too much stuff (or hoard) want to live differently?
Often, people know they have a problem, but they may come across as seeming in denial because it’s so hard to talk about, and help hasn’t been readily available. Research has shown that stigma, society’s negative attitudes (like calling people “hoarders” and associating it with what’s seen on tv) has kept people from reaching out for assistance. People hide away with this issue, more than any other mental health problem except for schizophrenia, because it is scary to reach out, especially when one is met hurtfully for doing so. But YES, PEOPLE DO WANT TO LIVE LESS CLUTTERED, EASIER, HAPPIER, HEALTHIER LIVES AND THEY CAN! They need good, compassionate, educated help to do so.
Does “cleaning out” someone’s stuff and getting rid of it solve the problem?
No! “Cleanouts” may appear to be helpful because the stuff is gone, but really, they can have dire consequences and exacerbate one’s mental health difficulties, making the hoarding worse. (An easy way to think about it- does throwing away someone’s cigarettes help them to quit smoking? No cigarettes equals no smoking, right? Wrong! In fact, the stress caused is likely to cause someone to engage in the behavior even more to help them feel better.) Cleanouts can have devastating effects and so should be avoided unless absolutely necessary, and in that case, great care and support should be given to the person affected. Sometimes it *is* necessary to remove hazardous materials from a home, though. Safety takes precedence when working in a home.
What’s a helpful approach instead of a cleanout?
Harm reduction! A harm reduction model of assistance means making the home safe. It can be done by using a safety checklist, specifically targeting items and their placement that are dangerous or could be. Harm reduction enables someone to keep the things that they value most and store them in ways that mitigate the risk of trips and falls, fire, and other potential hazards.
What about the h-word?
TV popularized the word “hoarder,” but it’s not a term that I and most professionals who I respect in the field use. Hoarding is a behavior, not an identity. Instead of calling someone a hoarder, I use language like “a person with hoarding disorder,” or “someone with hoarding behaviors.” I don’t find the need or benefit in calling people by a term that often has extreme, negative associations thanks to the work of the entertainment industry. That’s a label, not a professional term. As someone who lives with the diagnosis of depression, I can share with you that no one refers to me as a “depressive.” Wouldn’t that be weird if they did? We are not our mental health challenges, though they may be a part of who we are. My aim is to welcome people to help and I do that by showing unconditional high regard, not the judgment, disdain, or disgust that might accompany the word “hoarder.”
What do you do?
I teach, I consult, I speak, I support.
Who do you work with?
I work one on one with individuals who have hoarding disorder and/or their family members.
I consult with agencies, organizations, groups, and other consultants.
I teach social workers, therapists, elder services staff, first responders, animal welfare teams, housing personnel, resident service coordinators, and more.
I speak to audiences of all shapes and sizes, in both formal and informal settings- from senior centers, to Parliament House in Sydney, Australia, to a mega church venue in Portland, Oregon
Is Becca still a part of Mutual Support Consulting, LLC?
After twenty years together as a couple, and almost a decade as co-founding partners at MSC, Becca Belofsky and Lee Shuer continue to use their expertise in the field, independently and collaboratively.