Monday, January 25, 2010

Hoarding


Origin:
bef. 900; ME hord(e), OE hord; c. ON hodd, OHG hort, Goth huzd treasure; see hide 1 , hide 2

I have watched a few episodes of A&E's Hoarders, about people with catastrophic forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder*, which leads them to turn their homes into piles of garbage.

What really astonishes me is the enabling behavior of their families. An apparently grown man starts to get teary and edgy when it is suggested that a pile of magazines on the stairs be moved, and everyone backs down. That is the really creepy part of this series. The hoarders are clearly damaged and ill people, pathetic. But their so-called healthy family members, clearly part of the network of illness. Wow.

*Not everyone agrees that hoarding belongs with OCD. Another perspective.
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1 comment:

Rommel Slamovich said...

I can relate.

A very dear friend of mine has had a runny nose recently. A group of his friends and supporters staged an intervention to get him out of the house for some fresh air. Our dear friend, a groan man, got teary when we suggested he leave the security of his pile of laundry and scrapping projects, so we gave up.

I can relate.
Wow.

Sincerely,
Rommel Slamovich

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