Hoarder house cleanouts in wood-ridge NJ is a dangerous job — Call in the professionals!

When most people think of hoarding, they think of it as a quirky personality trait. Maybe someone they know is a little messy, or holds on to things that other people would consider junk. But for some people, hoarding is a serious mental disorder that can have devastating consequences.

Hoarding is defined as the persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. People who hoard often feel a need to save things because they believe they will be needed or used in the future. For some people, this may mean saving old newspapers or magazines, while for others it may mean keeping every single item they have ever bought, regardless of whether it has been used or not.

While the act of hoarding itself is not necessarily dangerous, the conditions that result from it can be. Hoarded homes are often cluttered and cramped, with little room to move around. This can create trip hazards and make it difficult to exit the home in an emergency. Hoarded homes are also often unsanitary, due to the accumulation of garbage and rotting food. This can attract vermin and pests, which can spread disease. In extreme cases, hoarders may even resort to using human waste as fertilizer for their plants

Because hoarders often live in squalor, their physical health is at risk. They are more likely to suffer from respiratory problems due to dust and mold particles in the air. They are also at greater risk for falls and injuries due to cluttered floors and stairways. Hoarders are also more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression due to their isolation from friends and family caused by embarrassment over their living conditions.

Hoarding can also be dangerous for first responders who are called to assist someone in a hoarder home. These homes are often full of combustible materials, which increase the risk of fire; blocked exits which make it difficult for people to escape; and hazardous materials such as chemicals or mold which can pose health risks for first responders who come into contact with them.

If you suspect that someone you know is suffering from hoarding disorder, there are resources available to help them get treatment before their situation becomes dangerous.

Wondering if you or someone you know has hoarding disorder in wood-ridge NJ?

1. Persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value
2. This difficulty is due to a perceived need to save the items and to distress associated with discarding them
3. The accumulated possessions clutter and congest living areas and prevent their intended use
4. The hoarding causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
5. The hoarding is not attributable to another mental disorder (e.g., obsessions in obsessive-compulsive disorder, delusions in schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder, cognitive deficits in major neurocognitive disorder, restricted interests in autism spectrum disorder)
6. There is evidence that the hoarding persists for at least 12 months
7. The diagnosis is not made if the primary purpose of the behavior is financial gain (e.g., collecting stamps) or criminal activity (e.g., hoard weapons).

If you are in wood-ridge New Jersey or the surrounding area and need professional hoarding cleanout services of any size, call JunkDoctors today at 973-542-9268.