Hoarding classified

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has recently announced that hoarding has been classified as a mental disorder. This has had particular impact for one woman, Laura Horton, who is glad that hoarding has finally been given this classification.

Now that hoarding has been officially classified by the WHO, the NHS describes hoarding as:

“A hoarding disorder is where someone acquires an excessive number of items and stores them in a chaotic manner, usually resulting in unmanageable amounts of clutter. The items can be of little or no monetary value.”

Whilst people who have been suffering from hoarding for years would already know this, it’s great to see the acceptance from an organisation such as the NHS. This allows the wider public to become aware of hoarding disorder.

Hoarding charities have met this news with praise as well known figures in the community lead the conversations.

“I am very pleased about the classification,” says Jo Cooke of Hoarding Disorders UK.

Megan Karnes, director of HoardingUK, said “This is a wonderful thing – that the idea that hoarding is a lifestyle choice will no longer be up for discussion.

Laura’s Story

Laura Horton was in her mid-twenties when she started to find sanctuary in shopping. “My confidence was low, I was being bullied and in a relationship with a man who I later found out was cheating on me.”

Her solution was to trawl charity and vintage shops, buying clothes that helped her to feel better about herself. “I created different versions of myself through different outfits,” the 34-year-old writer explains.

Over the next decade, what had at first been the solution became a growing problem.

To find out more about Laura’s story and how she is battling the disorder on a daily basis, click here.

 

 

 

Remember, if you or someone you know is suffering from hoarding, you can contact us at www.facebook.com/CloudsEndCIC for help.

To read more stories like this one, why not take a look at some of our other blog articles here.