How Junk.com Can Help People in Hoarding Situations

Suspect a Loved One Struggles With Hoarding?

Junk.com performs hoarding cleanups to help families and individuals who deal with the difficulties of hoarding behavior.

You’ve seen the warning signs. Your loved one isolates in their home and rarely lets you over. When you do manage to catch a glimpse of their living conditions, you might be dumbstruck by the sheer disarray of their home. Piles of junk, crammed countertops, and little space to move. All of these things have you asking, “Does my loved one struggle with hoarding?”

It is estimated that between 5 and 14 million people in the United States struggle with hoarding behavior. While symptoms might first appear in the mid-teen years, the condition is more common in older adults and the average age of persons with a hoarding diagnosis is 50 years old. 

Your loved one might deny that there’s a problem, but when hoarding is negatively impacting your loved one’s daily life then it’s time to call for help. 

What is Hoarding?

Hoarding is a mental health condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of items and difficulty getting rid of items, even when those items have little to no actual value. People who struggle with hoarding might experience extreme distress at the thought of having to let go of items. These items can include sentimental pieces and obvious trash like food scraps and empty containers. When hoarding escalates out of control then it causes mountains of disorganized clutter, which can make daily living difficult for the hoarder and their loved ones. In extreme cases, the dangerous accumulation of items could pose a fall risk, unsanitary conditions, or a fire hazard.

The exact cause of hoarding is unknown, but according to recent research there may be a genetic component. Researchers have identified a region on chromosome 14 that appears to be linked to compulsive hoarding. Hoarding behavior is typically accompanied by other mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). 

What are the Symptoms of Hoarding?

Hoarding behavior is different from healthy collecting. People who keep collections will organize, display, and admire their collected items while people who hoard possessions will allow disorganized clutter to accumulate and experience distress at the thought of throwing things out. These people suffering from hoarding behavior might believe or feel that they need to hang onto things in case they need them one day or to avoid being wasteful, but the accumulation of items often leads to problems functioning.

Some of the most common symptoms of a hoarding disorder are:

• Accumulating items there is no space for.

• Distress or difficulty letting go of items.

• Disorganization of collected items.

• Isolating or avoiding company in the home.

• Trouble navigating around piles of clutter.

When hoarding behavior catches the attention of others, it has likely already had detrimental effects on the hoarder’s relationships, work activities, and home life. 

When Should People Seek Help for Hoarding?

If you suspect you or a loved one is struggling with hoarding, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Catching the problem early can keep hoarding from getting worse, but even if the problem has already escalated to mountains of clutter, take comfort in knowing there is help available. 

Hoarding behavior is typically treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which involves challenging beliefs and thought patterns related to keeping and acquiring items. A mental health professional who has experience with hoarding disorder can help administer CBT.

Once therapy is underway, the person who struggles with hoarding might benefit from junk removal services.

How Can Junk.com Help in a Hoarding Situation?

When a person who struggles with hoarding is well enough to seek junk removal services, then Junk.com can step in and provide a discreet and fast hoarding cleanout. Our team understands the need for a compassionate approach when dealing with a hoarding situation, and will treat former hoarders and loved ones with respect and empathy.

Junk.com will perform a thorough cleanout, removing all unwanted items to help former hoarders reclaim their space. The expert junk removal team will work carefully to ensure there is no damage to the surrounding property.

The professionals at Junk.com can perform all the sorting so that usable goods get donated to charities and recyclable materials get a second life. Any leftover trash is responsibly disposed of through the proper channels.

Junk.com for Empathetic Hoarding Cleanups

When you and your loved ones are ready to take back your space from hoarded belongings then contact Junk.com. 

Call (844) 771-6830 to get started on restoring order to your home or use the online booking tool to get a team our to appraise your hoarding cleanout job. The junk removal team will come to your residence and give you a free, no-obligation estimate to clear out the clutter. If you agree, then we’ll remove the junk on the spot. The path to healing from hoarding and having clear, organized spaces again is open to you.