What is a hoarder?
Hoarding is a mental illness that several South Africans suffer from
Hoarding, according to the South African Depression and Anxiety group, is “the compulsive purchasing, acquiring, searching and saving of items that have little or no value”.
Hoarding is often a symptom for a variety of mental illnesses, but is generally a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and emotional anxiety.
Only present in one per cent of the South African population, hoarding often starts in childhood or teenage years.
Hoarders tend to live alone, are divorced and are generally over 50. Many are perfectionists.
Studies have shown that there is a genetic element as people who are hoarders often have a relative that is a hoarder too.
There are six types of hoarders. Scarcity hoarders (“what-if” hoarders) fear that someday they will need something they throw away; so as a result, they throw nothing away.
Frugality hoarders want nothing to go to waste, and it is seen as wasteful to throw something away.
Frozen indecision hoarders can’t decide what, when or whether or not to throw something away.
Ordinary hoarders hold on to material things.
Animal hoarders keep too many animals to look after realistically. Its a form of animal cruelty.
Rubbish or refuse hoarders do as their name suggests.
For more information or to get help contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group at www.sandag.org or 011 262 6396 or contact Zane Wilson with enquiries at zane1@hargray.com.
The National SPCA group would like you to contact them or your local SPCA if you suspect animal hoarding. Call 011 907 3590 for the NSPCA and 011 025 5768 for the Roodepoort/ Florida SPCA.
