Pros And Cons Of Hoarding

Most who hoard are unable to see the extent of their hoarding. The impulses that a hoarder has are perceived as normal in their mind. Outsiders see the extent and are appalled at the extreme conditions. Hoarders keep items that they believe they will use, but in reality many of the items are irrelevant because the hoarder has never used in them in the past and will not in the future. Many hoarders bring in the items that the average individual brings home such as bills, newspapers, receipts, magazines, clothes, and furniture. The difference between the hoarder and the average individual is the hoarder only brings items in and never takes them out. Hoarders are very unique individuals with many aspirations, although they have literally shielded their well-being from the outside world. In his article, “At a Haven for Creative Souls, a Prolific Talent Is Affirmed,” Corey Kilgannon recounts the unlikely friendship made between Sam Bassett and Bettina Grossman, both talented artists living in the Chelsea Hotel together they solve Ms. Grossman’s hoarding problem and extend their artistic abilities (A-29). Mr. Bassett was intrigued by the reclusive woman and befriended her:
Mr. Bassett spent day after day sitting and talking with Ms. Grossman in the hallway outside her door. He was fascinated by her witty, piercing observations and her bold artwork . . . . …show more content…
Researchers have been shocked at the link between multiple relatives in a single family that share the hoarding condition. In their book Stuff, Dr. Frost and Dr. Steketee recall their experiences “Since the beginning of our work on hoarding . . . more than 80 percent of our subjects reported a first-degree relative with similar problems” (189). Chromosomal makeup within families with OCD has shown that hoarding exists as a separate entity. Studies conducted by the OCD Collaborative Genetics Study and the National Institute of Mental Health has shown