When stuff takes over our space and our life, it also consumes our relationships.
Whether you are trying to help someone with hoarding or are coping with this yourself, this morning Sean Kelly and Mariam Serkal talk with Dr Julie Gowthorpe, RSW about new research on hoarding.
Hoarding tendencies often start in childhood or adolescence with mild symptoms that can escalate as individuals age. Older adults, particularly those aged 55 and above, are significantly more prone to severe hoarding behaviors.
This worsening of symptoms is attributed to decades of accumulating possessions without getting rid of others, deep emotional attachments to items, and sometimes, limited social interaction that reinforces hoarding habits.
While about 2-6% of people qualify as having a hoarding disorder, far more people have tendencies.