two’s company, three’s a crowd

– the simple way to find out if it is

hoarding, squalor or both.

Hoarding behaviour is the persistent accumulation of, and lack of ability to relinquish, large numbers of objects or living animals, resulting in extreme clutter in or around premises. This behaviour compromises the intended use of premises and threatens the health and safety of people concerned, animals and neighbours.

Squalor describes an unsanitary living environment that has arisen from extreme and/or prolonged neglect, and poses substantial health and safety risks to people or animals residing in the affectedpremises, as well as others in the community.

Definitions taken from http://www.health.vic.gov.au/agedcare/publications/hoarding.htm#downloads

Most of the items in M’s home were decomposing; bread, milk, take-away food remnants, cat faeces. The floor was covered, benches, and there were piles next to the couch and bed. There was also vermin,

Yes – squalor and

Collected/hoarded items serve a

Usually items fulfil one or more of these roles.

– connection – to others, the world– stability – used to regulate emotions– safety - anthropomorphising– identity – linked to their values, real or ideal– competence

1. connectionOur items are give us a sense of connection to

• Our history• Our future• Our hopes

Geoff hoards food, his daughter used to come over on Sundays for a lunch, she hasn’t been for years, but he keeps food just in case.A woman in the book “Stuff and the meaning of things” has articles about how to train a kitten to return home. She doesn’t have a cat but one day if a friends gets one, she will be able to offer them this information as a good friend would.

2. stability

Items also serve the purpose of managing our emotions. After a hard day/week, who hasn’t thought, I deserve a new cardigan, hammer…!

But have you noticed that the joy of this new items doesn’t last long, hence for people who have trouble regulating their emotions, they need to acquire regularly to keep themselves feeling stable.

Most of us have items which make us feel safe and secure, • a favourite blanket, or a

stuffed toy, mine is ‘Twinkle’ - see image. Twinkle gets a hug maybe once a year but I like knowing she is in my cupboard.

• Items can also create a sense of safety by acting as a physical barrier, to keep people out or loved ones in.

3.

4. Our items say something about us. • I have wool to knit socks and scarves

for friends and family• A woman in the book “Stuff, the

meaning of things” identifies as a caring person who brings family together to celebrate holidays – she has filled her kitchen with cookbooks, she is now unable to cook.

• A man in the book “Stuff, the meaning of things” collects rare items, ie. left handed golf clubs, he doesn’t play golf, he is right handed but he identifies as a thrifty and a smart investor.

5.competencePeople affected by hoarding and clutter can have heightened anxiety about making mistakes, otherwise know as perfectionist thinking.

This can manifest in 1. Acquiring (what if I can’t

get it again?)2. Sorting (I don’t know

where to put it so I will just leave it here

3. Discarding (what if I need it in the future?)

So back to Michelle

Whilst her home was in a squalid condition, she was hoarding as well as• She gained a sense of safety from the items, as a rape survivor,

she was determined to keep herself safe by creating a living environment that no one would want to enter. (I tried to enrol her in a self-defence course, but she wouldn’t attend). She was horrified when I said that if someone wanted to come in, they still could. I was trying to challenge her belief that the home environment was keeping her safe.

• She also bought bulk food items for herself and three cats. Her identity was as a protector and provider, caring for those who are vulnerable.

Squalor=no emotional attachment, hoarding=emotional attachment. Usually people living in squalid environments are quite happy to have it cleaned up or don’t see it as being problematic (can be sign of cognitive decline or other deficits). Of course, this is a generalisation, but generally it’s true!

Rule of thumb