Authored by Abraham Brewer

Compulsive collecting, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Scrapper, Extreme hobbyist, typical Hoarder, or whatever you want to call whatever the buffet of chaos that is regularly displayed on AETV from http://www.directstartv.com, it's fantastic. I can't get enough of it. I'm starting to have a bit of my own obsession with this show. I wonder if I should bring it up at my next appointment with my psychiatrist?

Anyway, each show features either one or two cases of individals or families who have let their hoarding affect their lives in a dramatic way, usually near a breaking point. They are often at a place where the homes must be cleaned or something bad will happen. In some episodes, the homes are so disfunctional and dirty that children may be removed from the home. In others, it's a matter of animals being removed. In one episode, I saw thousands of rats being removed from a man's home.

Each family works with a team that specializes in organization as well as a therapist. Usually the home is cleaned somewhat, but it is all based on the willingness of the family or individual to participate. The worse the hoarder, the less is accomplished. Usually, it makes me really want to clean my house.