I have only watched a couple episodes of “Hoarders” but it was enough to bring a sickening feeling to my stomach. To me it is so sad that a person can live in a home that is so dirty or cluttered it is unsafe.
While most of us probably wouldn’t call ourselves a hoarder, there are some who could be classified as a “mini” version of one, a pack rat. A pack rat tends to save things that could just as well be given away or thrown away.
What you learn through this show on hoarding is that the person always has some deep psychological issue going on. It may be the loss of someone they love, abuse or a number of other issues.
I tend to think that with pack rats, the same may be true. For whatever reason, there is this need to hang onto things.
Perhaps the person never had much as a child and so now they feel like everything needs to be kept. I don’t know…I certainly don’t hold a degree in psychology so I can’t really guess. But I do believe that underlying issues almost have to accompany this type of behavior.
Why else would someone keep old, rusty screws? Why else would someone keep their children’s toys, when they are now grown men with their own families? I know someone who does this.
To me it is sad. It is as if she is holding onto something that she is afraid to let go of. But I also believe that this can be overcome.
Pack rats especially like to make use of “unused space,” such as on top of the refrigerator, in a closet or besides the bed. And most of these items haven’t been used, seen or touched in sometimes years.
This is a serious problem. And if it is an issue in a home, the family needs to sit down and discuss it.
If you are a pack rat, perhaps it is time you face this. Ask for help. It may even require professional counseling. Or if you know someone who is a pack rat, be honest with them about your concerns and then offer to help them.
Have you dealt with a pack rat? Are you one?
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Photo by cote in Flickr