Leesa let me first start off by saying YOU ARE AWESOME!
Congrats for waking up!!! I just woke up myself a few days ago. I was absolutely horrified, I cried, then worried what that might mean as I am ALSO in the Mental Health field... I think we are in excellent hand with Cory and all the wonderful support and people like us here. Ohhhh I really wish I was there to give you a big ole hug! I am happy to meet you and want you to know that you are at a very exciting time in your life. I'm not sure what makes a person like us "wake up" but you must be ready to come out of your cocoon. I cannot wait to see what your beautiful wings will look like and when you fly...it's going to be exhilarating.

For now, just breath, cry when needed because it is heavy, the breath and then SMILE. You are about to learn about how very special you are and how your "superpower" hoarding skill set (when used appropriately) can help bring joy and good to the WORLD.

Welcome to the fold,
Krissy

I've been accused of being (or in some cases diagnosed as) lazy, a slob, a hoarder, OCD, ADHD, Asperger, and maybe a few other things...

Anyway, Leesa, the online support group is meeting tonight; maybe you can join us there to discuss things in real time? It starts at 6pm PDT, 7pm MDT, 8pm CDT, 9pm EDT. Turnout has been low lately; I hope people will show up as scheduled. (As I mentioned in the bigger discussion thread, I'm expecting to have to leave early. Some people show up late, so if nobody's around, be patient.)

I can relate to about everything you said!!!! You are not alone for sure. I have a masters degree in nursing and was a psychiatric nurse for years, at that time I was anorexic and exercise bulimic, then started drinking to calm my nerves, then started shopping to stop eating and drinking. I found acquiring gave me the same high without the calories. After over 20 years of acccumulating stuff, I felt buried, suffocating in all my stuff. When I got on this site, Cory said I must stop bringing home stuff first and foremost since shopping and bargain hunting was my drug of choice. I never let people in here, including repair men. I figured out how to repair most things.
After going a week without shopping, tried another and another, now it is a habit to only buy what I need, I have had 2 slips in 5 months when I bought extra stuff. I gave away so many new, nice things, threw away so much that had mouse droppings and stains. Two rooms and garage were packed so high could not enter, then made goat trails, now can see floor, still lots to clear out, but I do see progress. Taking pictures of every room is so helpful, reality hits, no more denial when you see those pictures. I posted on message board daily for first 3-4 months and got lots of support and suggestions, sure hope you can break through the denial and hang in here with us.
I wish you hope and success in tackling this. Takes lots of work, but you can do this

Hi there....
:( I am just coming to the realization that I may be suffering from a hoarding disorder... The funny part is I am a Mental Health Counselor myself so this is even more embarrassing... I have been told by family and friends for years that I am a hoarder and I don't throw things away... I keep things because I think I will need them at another point in time... But looking around my house today, I became sick and overwhelmed with worry... I have piles and piles of mail (unopened and opened), piles of magazines (read and unread), clean tupparware containers that I collect from Chinese takeout and other food establishments, and piles of books and clothing everywhere in every room... I keep all of these things because I truly believe that I will need something to fit in one of those containers one day, or I may need an article from one of those magazines or newspapers to use for work or for school, or perhaps for the groups that I do counseling with... I keep clothing whether it still fits me or not either because it was given to me by someone that was special to me, or because I think I may still wear it one day... I guess I have such a small home and although I appear to be hoarding these items we can still walk in our hallways... However its getting harder to find a place to sit, because I have a pile of paperwork on each chair in kitchen and every dresser in bedroom is covered on top with clothing... I also have piles of papers in my living room... ugh this is a difficult thing to come to terms with... And right now I should be cleaning up and organizing or throwing things out one pile at a time, but the truth is I am so tired that and overwhelmed by all of my stuff that I don't have any energy to even get started.. I don't know what to throw out or keep, I don't where to put things in my house... It's debilitating... Even my car is filled to the top with stuff, as well as a storage unit that I pay for... Help I feel like I am drowning!! and everyone is mad at me!!

People around me just keep thinking I am either lazy or too busy to keep up with organization, etc... My house is clean sort of, but I am a mess literally with piles and piles of stuff... I have no where to put my things and don't know what to throw away and what to keep... I should be able to help myself with all this since I have studied Mental disorders etc... But I honestly have tried a variety of techniques that just can't maintain themselves..or I can't seem to maintain ... So just as I clean one or two pioes of stuff, I see myself making more piles of stuff in another area of room or house... So I give up sometiemes and just leave it alone... ugh