THE MOST DANGEROUS OBSESSIONS ON 'HOARDERS'

If you are fan of the A&E show “Hoarders,” then you are most likely familiar with how people’s obsessive-compulsive behavior can lead them to lay waste to their homes. Hoarders develop an attachment to unneeded materials and are incapable of throwing them away. If their disorder goes untreated, then their houses become biohazardous environments. During its time on the air, “Hoarders” explored all of the ways that this type of compulsion can manifest. Here are some of the worst cases of hoarding that the show presented.





A Frightening Fascination With Felines 

In one infamous episode, Terry, a cashier, exhibited the full extent of her cat obsession. Nearly 50 stray felines were living in her home, many of them ravaged with disease. The house was coated in fecal dust, and Terry was exposing herself to potentially lethal pathogens on a daily basis. A nauseating ammonia odor pervaded the home as well. By episode’s end, a group of biohazard cleaners had scoured the area, many of the cats were euthanized, and Terry was told she would be arrested if she adopted more strays. 

The Walls are Alive With the Sound of Rodents

While Terry’s situation is shocking, her case is most certainly not the only one of its kind. “Hoarders” has encountered many other individuals with unhealthy compulsions. Take Glen, for example, who took his love of rodents to the extreme. More than 2,500 rats scampered through his house, some of them living in walls or Glen’s mattress. The home was such a toxic environment that Glenn had abandoned it and was living in his shed. To help him overcome his hoarding, Glen was forced to give up more than 1,000 of his pets.

The Price of a Good Education

Not everyone on “Hoarders” has a predilection for living animals, though this does not make their obsessions any less dangerous. In the case of Claire and Vance, books were their primary fixation. Towering stacks of literature cluttered the house, threatening to tip over at any moment. If Claire and Vance had failed to find help for their problem, then they would have risked being crushed under the immense weight of their book collection.

You may be tempted to look at these peoples’ situations as a form of shock entertainment, but such an outlook only serves to undermine the serious nature of obsessive-compulsive disorder. These people are at the mercy of their illness, and they need the help of a biohazard removal team if they hope to recover. If you know someone who is a severe hoarder, contact a company that specializes in this type of assistance. Waiting too long to find help for your loved one could result in harmful or possibly lethal consequences.