Messages By: talk2krys

If you aren't with you must be against. Where are the Samaritans who pause to check on the hurt and instead of just walking by, actually feel compelled to do something is better than nothing.

I can do for others what I can't do for myself.  I have some of the same afflictions depicted in this program but I find it easier to help others who have this same trait. Why?  If you don't have an attachment to each and every item you are able to make important decisions about what to do with them. When in a financial crisis you start to find more than one use for EVERYTHING thereby making decisions to get rid of something or keep it and whether to store it with like items... here or there?

Example: Empty pill bottles have many uses. You can keep bobbie pins in them (bathroom), sort nails or screws (hardware), assorted buttons (sewing kit) ... where you would probably toss them... right?

Why should I go buy something to handle these situations when I could get more excited over spending that money on a good sale item and boost my self esteem and feel pride in my ability to stretch that dollar. The problem arises as soon as I get home and realize I already have one but no space to put it so I just sit it down on a vertical surface and say even though I have one it is always good to have a spare as opposed to returning it . Why? Inflation. When this one breaks I'll have a spare and will have saved money by keeping it.

 When I overhear someone say 'my such and such broke' - and I can speak up and say 'don't buy another one just yet I think I have one for you' and I can be a hero and they can say maybe it's not so bad keeping all that stuff. Since this happens quite often among family members next time I see something 50%-75% off I think that having three might not be such a bad idea to get it 'just in case'. Only when you bring it home you don't remember where you put away the other so 'like' things never get together and anytime you have to pull out stuff looking for other stuff things do get messier and you think now it might be easier to leave it out since I DO plan to (sooner or later) rearrange everything and get all of the things organized. After all if it isn't hidden away I can see where things are and find them easier since their location is in my short term memory and the longer they stay out eventually they will be part of my long term memory. This is where some of us say in spite of the mess we know where thing are... that is until we start (and have a hard time finishing) moving things around to get organized.

I will say that I don't have cold or frozen food spoilage like depicted on this episode but I do over stock canned foods so I can share that with family when I go visit since I don't have much of a social existance other than family because embarrasment about the condition is real and is accompanied with real pain.

I have personally had five different 'housekeepers' who are professionals come in hopes they would help me only to have them give up on the hard work (and their 'payoff' was more than a pat on the back). So don't  JUST be critical. Be helpful. Check out if there is anyplace in your area where you can be part of the solution not make our problem larger.  Knowing, from my point of view, that you will have more of an ability to have people admit a problem if you take a 'do no harm' approach by removing the shame of hoarding.

I probably jumped around in my post but I will stop here and leave the rest to the professionals as they attempt to understand WHY and HOW to HELP US. I will mention there are books on the subject to help you see through the eyes of the afflicted. Buried in Treasure is just one of them.

Sincerely,

From Another Side

P.S. Dr. Phil, thanks for allowing a place for us to make comments on your shows, it would be helpful if you can post other books that can help us and others with understanding of this condition, as not all of us can afford professional sessions and need to have the most updated reading material not something that has been sitting on a library shelf for years and is outdated.