Do you like to shop? Perhaps you’re a collector? There’s nothing wrong with that. If anything, it can be a great hobby!

With that said, there’s always a possibility that things can get out of hand. Ever heard of hoarding? It’s when someone collects a large number of items – ones that most people would consider of no value.

Despite that, they are unable to part with them. As a matter of fact, the thought itself causes them great distress.

Do you know someone like that? Want to know how to help a hoarder? If so, you’re on the right page! We’ll be sharing some tips below. Keep reading to learn more!

How to Help a Hoarder: 4 Tips That Can Help

Hoarding can affect someone’s life in several ways – physically, psychologically, and socially. Fortunately, there are things that you can do that can help your loved one.

1. Educate Yourself on the Topic

Remember, hoarding is a psychiatric condition. In other words, they’re not keeping the items because they want to.

Given that, it might be a good idea to read up on the disorder – that way, you’ll be able to get a better idea of what they’re thinking. The last thing that you want to do is to judge them without knowing anything about the disorder!

2. Don’t Take Their Possessions

Never take their possessions away without permission. It might seem like you’re helping but it can have the opposite effect. For one thing, it can lead to great emotional distress. You wouldn’t want your good intentions to do harm, would you?

Not only that but there’s also a possibility that it can destroy your relationship.

3. Don’t Expect a Quick Cleanup

Did they agree to get rid of some items? Great! Don’t expect them to clean up everything instantly, though – it’s a process that takes time.

Remember, hoarding isn’t something that happens overnight. Chances are, they’ve “collected” for years. In other words, it’s more than just “throwing out the trash” for them; it requires them to confront some painful truths about themselves.

With time and support, however, they will be able to part with their items. In cases like that, you might want to consider using a same-day garbage removal service. For more information, you can visit https://samedayrubbishremoval.com.au.

4. Don’t Enable the Behavior

It’s important that you do not enable hoarding behavior. Ultimately, what this means is that you do not want to give an opportunity for them to add to their “collection”.

For instance, don’t invite them to an antique store if they have a tendency of “collecting” antiques. Similarly, don’t give them presents that can add to the overall problem.

Helping a Hoarder

Hopefully, that answers the questions of “how to help a hoarder.” As you can see, there are various things that you can do that can help with their recovery process.

Did you find this post helpful? If so, why not share it with your friends?