Hoarding is a difficult, complex, and possibly dangerous mental illness that afflicts hundreds (possibly thousands) of people in the Los Angeles area. Dealing with a hoarder is a mentally and physically taxing ordeal. Whether you are a friend of a hoarder, a relative of a hoarder, or a hoarder’s landlord dealing with a hoarder will take time and effort. To effectively treat hoarding a hoarder will need therapy, counseling, and probably the assistance of a junk hauling service that specializes in hoarders junk removal.
When you are dealing with a hoarder try not to be overly judgmental about their living situation. Avoid sarcastic comments and direct confrontation. Try to be firm yet sympathetic and understanding. Involve a hoarder in seeking solutions to their problem and seeking treatment. Typically, a hoarder is just as ashamed of their hoarding habits as you are, and they want a way out as well. Try to get a hoarder involved in therapy and get both the hoarder and therapist to work on reducing junk and items.
Many junk removal services in the Los Angeles area work hand in hand with hoarders and their therapists. They provide support for a hoarder during the junk removal process and can assist a therapist in helping a hoarder sort through accumulate junk.
Also involve the county and city government early. Los Angeles has many mental health services aimed at directly help hoarders. So contact adult protective services and seek advice on how to handle a particular hoarding situation.
You may also need to involve the law. Excessive hoarding is a violation of health and safety codes. A hoarder may only seek treatment if he or she is faced with a prospect of losing their home or being evicted from their apartment.
The most important thing to remember when dealing with a hoarder is to be persistent. Never ignore a hoarder’s problem. Hoarding does not go away and does not “get better” on its own.
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