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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My mother was always a bit quirky, but overall was able to pass as normal. In the mid 30s she developed pretty bad hoarding and constant anxiety over economic instability. She was always worried that dad (who was also weird but functional) would lose his job and we would be destitute. [b]Anyway she became a very bad hoarder and died in squalor and filth[/b].[b] I am still thinking maybe we should have ignored her rage and removed her from the filthy piles but she was competent enough so who knows.[/b] I am just glad it’s all over. [/quote]

Some friends and I tried to help a woman from our church with this when she was going to get evicted. We were really confused when the minister wasn't super positive about us doing so -- he didn't say "Don't do that," but he didn't encourage it either, and isn't that what church members do? Support one another? Well, he knew more than we did -- others had already been through this with her. After days of work from several of us (while she sat and played on her computer until she would decide to get up and get upset over one of us doing something like throwing away an expired Bed Bath and Beyond mailer that had a coupon because "They usually take them even if expired") and another day with a professional organizer that another church member paid hundreds for, the apartment was passable enough for her to not get evicted. Less than a year later -- similar crisis and different people from our church who hadn't been in the go 'round I'd been in were helping her, and it was even WORSE. Mere months later after three of us working multiple days to get it passable -- it was worse. So although you could have "removed her from the filthy piles," chances are good she would have remade those piles in far less time than you would imagine possible. It's so unfortunate, but that is generally the way it is for people who hoard. I'm glad it's over for you. [/quote]

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