Since the highly-rated premiere of "Hoarders" on A&E a few weeks ago, I can't shake the nagging feeling that my pantry and I are about two boxes of pasta away from a painful, televised intervention.
The show, which offers a disturbing look inside the homes (and minds) of people with a particular type of obsessive-compulsive disorder which compels them to hoard stuff (some people hoard any and everything, others specialize), can elicit a lot of different reactions from viewers. Maybe it makes you feel good about your own relatively spotless-by-comparison home, or maybe it drives you to finally clean out that garage that no longer holds your car, or maybe it simply repulses you.
Personally, after watching the first episode, I turned off the television, went upstairs, and spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning out my cluttered office. And I've heard from other TV fans who say they now enjoy cleaning while watching the show. Maybe it's inspirational. Maybe it's the great motivator.
But it's no laughing matter. Entertainment Weekly's Josh Wolk has written a great article about "Hoarders." Does the show offer a sobering look at a serious problem, or is it exploitative?
I'd feel better about the show if I felt A&E was making more of an effort to help the people they're featuring. Sometimes they send in a psychologist, but just as often the "experts" seem no more qualified than a consultant from the Container Store. The biggest obstacle seems to be that the folks have only two days to undo all the damage that's taken years to do, and after the camera crew leaves, so does the help and support. If A&E's making money off the show, maybe they should make more of a commitment to their subjects.
If you've watched "Hoarders," let us know what you think. Is it helpful and informative? Or do you think it's just a sideshow taking advantage of sick people?
"Hoarders" airs on Monday nights at 10pm, but you can also watch episodes online at the A&E website.
Brooke Cain isn't always proud of the number of hours she logs in front of the TV, but her loss of brain cells can be your gain. From reality shows to sitcoms to the more serious stuff, Brooke keeps her DVR smoking so that she can help keep you in the know. Brooke also tweets for Happiness is a Warm TV (you can follow
Comments
one of the experts
Thu, 09/03/2009 - 16:28 — brookecain (author)There was one expert who frustrated me to death because she gave all the control to the hoarder, and basically stood by as an audience to the hoarder as she fondled each and every possession she ever collected. The woman got one room cleaned in two days and ended up losing her home and all her possessions. The "expert" in that situation was clearly not qualified, and I can't remember what her title was. I can't remember if she was an organizer or a social worker or whatever. I do remember the psychologist who tried to help the woman hoarding the rotten food. He made her be part of the process but also pushed her to get things done, and talked to her about the issues behind her hoarding. I think he really helped her, but the problem was two days wasn't enough. These people need long-term counseling.
Getting the best help
Sat, 09/05/2009 - 10:46 — coughlin_jakeI'm not a psychologist, and I don't play one on TV, but several members of my family are mental health professionals. In my experience, obsessive compulsive disorders involve ritualistic behaviors to ward off bad consequences. One therapy is to re-condition people by forcing them to actually COPE with whatever consequence they're avoiding. By handling the items these people are forced to deal with each object as merely an object, to put each object into its proper context rather than whatever context they've assigned to it.
Anyway, there's obviously a balance between pushing them and allowing them the time they need to adjust their mindset, and in my experience sometimes a patient and their counselor have the right chemistry and other times they're not a fit. I wish counselors were better trained to recognize that situation and bow out, but what'chya gonna do on national tv?
experts
Thu, 09/03/2009 - 16:21 — im4unc23Agreed, Jen1978, but sometimes the "professional organizers" seem better able to counsel these folks than the "professional psychologists."
The two psychologists I've noticed actually seem pretty overwhelmed (if not disgusted), whereas the organizers seem to have a better grasp on the mentality of their hoarders.
Perhaps that's part of the exercise of the show. It's not just about the sick hoarders, but those attempting to help them.
I do wish that the show's producers (and/or A&E) offered the hoarders the more long-term care that Intervention does for its substance addicted folks.
Hmmm...I think I'll go see if it's on A&E On Demand and do some organizing.
Probably a little of both
Thu, 09/03/2009 - 15:43 — Jen1978I think most reality shows like this, no matter how much good they try to do, have at least a touch of exploitation about them. It's kind of hard not to when essentially, what you're producing, is a television show to entertain and sell ads.
But, I do believe "Hoarders" (and "Intervention" and "Obsessed") do serve a higher purpose in shedding light on the reality of these conditions. It's one thing to hear about a woman with a houseful of stuff, but quite another to see vivid images of pumpkins rotting in her living room.
That said, I do agree the show doesn't do enough to actually help these people. They all have a mental illness, and to just bring in a "professional organizer" isn't really going to help them. They need counseling to help them overcome the root of the hoarding. Otherwise, they'll just junk their homes up again.