Too Much Stuff

On Life With a Hoarder, Well Two Hoarders

Photo by Andrew Haimerl (andrewnef) on Unsplash

Anyone who has read my work knows I had an unconventional childhood. And unconventional really is just a euphemism for really fucking weird. Biracial white-looking kid, black parents, parents old enough to be my grandparents, agoraphobic mother, blah, blah, blah. Yeah, well, they were also hoarders and that brought with it a unique set of issues.

I was prompted to write about this after reading a story by Ruby Lee about growing up with a mother who was a hoarder. Her article is here and well worth a read:

What It’s Like To Grow Up In A House With A Hoarder

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - V (DSM-5), symptoms of Hoarding Disorder include:

Unable to discard possessions.
Severe anxiety over the idea of discarding possessions.
Limited living space in the home
Floor and counter space within common areas of the home (such as the kitchen and living room) are seen as storage space.
Isolation
Loneliness
Depression
Fear or embarrassment of having visitors in the home
Withdrawn
Disorganized
Indecisive about where to put things