When most people hear the word ‘hoarder’, they may automatically think of the popular television show. Filled with images of garbage spilling over the kitchen counters, filthy living areas and mountains of unused household items or clothes are common things associated with the word ‘hoarder’, you’ve probably wondered how someone could possibly allow their home to become so cluttered and continue to live in it. However, hoarders do not become hoarders overnight. The mental pictures you may have in your mind when you hear the word ‘hoarder’ are actually caused by one little decision followed by another and then another.Chances are, these people are comfortable in their home due to possible oncoming anxiety that could come with parting with their beloved belongings. People who hoard things may not realize (in the beginning, at least) that they are actually hoarding. More likely than not, they are harboring many underlying mental conditions caused by traumatic events that led to the destruction of their home. So the question lies: Exactly why and how does someone become a hoarder? Here, we will discuss the definition of being a hoarder, how it slowly progresses, possible underlying causes and how it could easily happen to anybody.
