Free The Secret Lives of Hoarders: True Stories of Tackling Extreme Clutter by Matt Paxton, Phaedra Hise Page B

addiction, because the hoarder’s happiness is linked to the item, not to any sense of self-worth.
    Animal hoarders have a similar thing going on, with the constant love they get from their pets. Anytime an animal hoarder feels down, there’s a cat right there to share some affection, which can quickly become a substitute for human relationships. Receiving love endorphin hits all day is a happy way for anyone to live. Hoarders get to feel that exciting rush every time they go shopping, go Dumpster diving, or reach for one of three dozen affectionate dogs. Especially when the rest of a hoarder’s life isn’t going well, it’s easy to see how this behavior could become an addiction.
    Some experts argue that addicts never change their personalities; they just substitute healthy addictions for unhealthy ones. So a smoker might give up cigarettes and turn instead to the exercise addiction of running marathons. I see this sometimes with hoarders, and I encourage the replacement behavior if it seems positive.
    For example, as we cleaned Kurt’s house, it became clear that it needed major repairs. The bathrooms had extensive water damage and needed to be redone, the kitchen needed new cabinets and appliances, and the whole downstairs required new walls and flooring. I encouraged Kurt to channel his shopping energy into the remodel. He threw himself into choosing appliances and researching subcontractors. This work kept him focused on making positive decisions. Suddenly, Kurt’s shopping had purpose. Luckily, when the remodel was over, Kurt became very involved in his church’s upcoming remodel. Although Kurt hasn’t had counseling to deal with the real issues behind his hoarding, he has successfully rechanneled that energy into more positive behavior.
    I have done this in my own life. I replaced my gambling addiction with work. Some may say I’m just as addicted to cleaning as I was to gambling, and they might be right. For me it worked to substitute a positive addiction for something negative. I haven’t gambled since 1999, and I’ve refocused my life to revolve around my family and my work. I’m not saying that’s scientifically or psychologically correct, but for me it worked.
▶ Depression
    Roxanne, the hoarder who saved all of her daughter’s items, showed all the classic signs of depression. She didn’t make eye contact or smile when she spoke in a colorless monotone. She wore the same clothes for several weeks in a row, even when they were covered with food stains. Her dirty brown hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, and she admitted that she didn’t wash herself regularly. Roxanne ate a lot of fast food, and she was overweight.
    When Roxanne opened a package of food, she tossed the wrapper on the floor with a “why bother” attitude. She had basically given up—some days, she just stayed in bed.
    Depression is a crippling illness, erasing a person’s desire and ability to make daily life decisions. Someone who is depressed usually knows what to do in order to get better but can’t muster the energy to actually do it. To a depressed person, even a small job like getting out of bed or taking a shower can look overwhelmingly hopeless and impossible.
    A depressed person withdraws from normal life in the same way that a hoarder does. Depression is marked by decreasing interest in organization, self-care, and interaction with the outside world, which are all traits I see often in advanced hoarders.
    Depressed people seem to be perpetually sad, angry, or anxious. Eventually, if the disease isn’t treated, depressed people can become so frustrated and worn down by their negative outlook that they become suicidal. I’ve seen this in hoarders too, and it should be taken seriously.
    This is another situation where it’s not clear which comes first—depression or hoarding. Dr. Chabaud says that depression in someone who is