‘I couldn’t possibly throw it away – I want it, I need it, you don’t know what it means…’
Her tone was urgent, face flushed and eyes wide with fear. It was as if we had threatened to deprive her of life itself. But the object in question? A copy of the Radio Times – 19 months out of date. Up until that conversation, we had assumed she was just messy, but with one impassioned monologue she had shown us the depths of her heart. She was a hoarder and she was in deep.
A compulsion
Hoarding is not a commonly discussed topic in pastoral care. It’s not simply collecting – 30% of us collect items, be that stamps, coins, sporting memorabilia or action figurines. It’s a compulsion to pursue items and then hold on to them, whatever the cost. For some, the outward signs are minimal – for others, homes become virtually uninhabitable as every surface is covered with items that frequently look disposable but feel essential to the one who holds them dear. Whilst most hoarders gain their objects legally, some will turn to stealing to keep their behaviour alive.
