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Old 12th Dec 2014, 12:33 pm   #1
Nickthedentist
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Default Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

Did anyone hear this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04tjfxc

Rather worrying, as I thought I was relatively healthy until I heard it. Lots of the interviewee's observations rang true. Now I think I am officially mentally ill.

I should be grateful for my tolerant-but-bossy wife who keeps the amount of my collection that can enter the house down to sensible limits.

Nick.
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 12:56 pm   #2
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

An element of hoarding is a natural part of male psychology and it is common for female partners to act as a moderating influence. It becomes pathological when there is no moderating influence and the person has strong obsessive tendencies, resulting in the hoarding of stuff which is clearly of no possible use or interest (old newspapers, litter etc) to an extent which affects the hoarder's quality of life. It's a spectrum disorder, a bit like Asperger's.
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 12:59 pm   #3
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

This has been discussed before here:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=109796
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 1:46 pm   #4
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

Thanks both of you.

I know we've talked about before on the forum, but the chap they spoke to seemed to have so many things in common with me e.g. hanging onto old hifi equipment and being over-cautious about what paperwork he keeps, not being able to use is workshop until he'd spent an hour shifting all the junk out of the way first, and so on.

N.
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 2:45 pm   #5
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

Interesting!
I would say that sometimes, hoarding can come from a fear of things going out of control. This can be caused by some instibility in people's early life. Parenting for example. I think that when hoarding becomes a problem, it is when people feel that everything will all fall apart around there ears if they don't keep everything. I've noticed this in my partner. She used to keep every single letter, bank statement, buy many many kitchen apliences; not because she has an emotional atachment to them, but because she was searching for some sort of stability or completeness in her life.
I think that if hoarding is causing us a problem, we should try to look at where it started and if there's a particular event that caused it etc. Sometimes maybe it can be a way of escaping from things or a situation around us, or a distraction from our mind? I think sometimes CBT can be too focused on surface level stuff.

Anyway... This has got very psychological now!
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 3:28 pm   #6
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

As Paul said [and there is plenty of evidence in TV Docs] the more serious psychological condition is signified by "collecting" and hanging on to items completely irrationally and being unable to part with them, even if they were rotten or insanitary to begin with [ie domestic waste] or have become so in storage.

It was pointed out that such individuals are often "loners" and that, by contrast, Collectors are usually engaged with others through Societies or [dare I say it] Forums There will be some overlap of course but I think it's a good working definition.

It's not such a related analogy I know but I'm reminded of people [Journalists?] who conflate "bootlegging" with Piracy or Counterfiting-the latter two being clearly, illegal activities and the former born of interest and enthusiasm.
Dave W
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 3:32 pm   #7
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

I suspect a lot of the concern about hoarding came in about the same time as 'just in time' in industry, where you keep no stock, but get what you need when you need it. But that is very vulnerable to interruptions in supply. Feng Shui is said also to advise simplicity and has influenced many to 'declutter'. Traditionally people always prepared for lean times by hoarding, food, materials, etc. It was foolish not to. What you need is to have enough space, and to be organised about it! Radios don't look so great in a pile, and workshops become unusable when they become a store.
I always feel better with enough space around me, and when i on top of all the roundtuits. I guess the secret is to find a comfortable ballance - giving things away is good therapy when it goes too far, and i think this forum is a great way to do that.
What I find odd is that I spend so much time clearing up, but the place is always halfway to chaos. There is something about fighting one's own tendencies!
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 3:52 pm   #8
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

I, rather, suspect that the 'hoarding' tendency got magnified during and immediately after WWII and the "make-do-and-mend" mentality. Almost all those I know who have tendencies towards hoarding have been of the generations who lived through such times. The born-post-1960 generation appear a lot less attached to things.

A while back I helped a friend remove several cubic-yards of old magazines/newspapers [all neatly tied into bundles with string] and a similar volume of washed-and-neatly-de-labelled glass jars from the garages/sheds etc. of her late parents' house. We similarly disposed of numerous suitcases filled with worn-out hole-in-the-sole shoes, carrier-bags containing stacks of plastic yogurt-cartons, and several filing-cabinets full of utility-bills/old christmas-cards/car MOT-certificates/fuel-receipts/cheque-book-stubs much of which dated back to the 1950s. The cellar revealed a cache of burst hot-water-bottles (about 30 of them) and another heap of glassware - this time wine-bottles. It took two large skips to shift. Her parents had always had a "keep that, it might come in useful" approach to things. Thankfully in her case the hoarding-gene seems to be recessive.

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Old 12th Dec 2014, 4:02 pm   #9
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

I heard it too, I have a solution, every now and again I have a big 'no prisoners' clearout. The last time it took 12 rubble sacks, simply paid the dustmen a fiver and it was gone. Cathartic, yes, satisfies the missus, not entirely, still married after 24 years though.

And then it's time to clutter up the workshop anew, great fun!

What's wrong with being happy? The cats like it, lots of new things to sniff at. I suppose I have a label now 'daft collector' ho hum...
 
Old 12th Dec 2014, 5:06 pm   #10
Mr Moose
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

Hello,
The hoarding is probably caused by the earth's axis being tilted.
Yours Richard
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 5:49 pm   #11
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

You may be right with the being in control thing. I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to be caught out...be prepared for situations is another way of putting it. To that end I tend to have spare light bulbs and suchlike (in sensible quantities only may I hastily add) so that if something happens, I can deal with it. This is the way things are at work too, through necessity to keep the ball rolling when a situation develops. I also collect radios, motorcycles etc, as part of a hobby. I certainly wouldn't class myself as a loner (married, kids, family) but I don't have to have people around all the time, I enjoy my own company in other words. We are all different. I am a little bit of a hoarder, although I only keep things that interest me. I don't see a problem as long as it's what pleases you and doesn't adversely affect the people around you.
Alan.
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Old 12th Dec 2014, 6:33 pm   #12
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Default Re: Hoarding on Radio 4's All In The Mind

It's an interesting subject. When I moved house about 15 years ago I got rid of about two thirds of my 'stuff'. I had a large old house out in the 'sticks' on the fens and was 'down-sizing' into a much smaller place in a village, so had to get rid of a lot of gear. I have to say that although I didn't for quite a few years after moving, I have more recently regretted getting rid of some of the stuff that I dumped. So this shows how you change over time and how you go back to things that you may at the time have thought that you woudn't have. I have also found that with 'organization', I could have made space for some of the items that I dumped. I do try not to get anything that I'm not going to make use of in some way as I wouldn't like to be overwhelmed like some people are.

There's a chap who I believe used to live localish to me who is a 'hoarder'. Some local film makers have made a short documentary on him. It is an interesting insight into his life and state of mental health. He seems to be basically a decent sort of chap, and looking beyond the 'hair'' and 'dress code', I think he's very brave to allow such a film to be on show to the public and linked to his web site. He's written a page on the subject of hoarding and how to 'stash your stuff'! I've discussed this film with friends and we agree that there are lessons to be learned about what can happen if things are let to get out of hand.

Below is a link to the film makers web page where there are links to the documentary which is in three parts - Warning - the kitchen stove is frightening!
http://www.zyra.tv/mewjy.htm

Here is a link to his hoarding page:-
http://www.zyra.net/hoarders.htm

I don't know this chap and have never met him, but find his story and his web site quite interesting.
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