If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of hoarding, there are organizations available to help. You can find resources, support groups, and access to trained health professionals through Children of Hoarders (www.childrenofhoarders.com), Minor and Youth Children of Hoarding Parents (www.mycohp.com), and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org; NAMI HelpLine: 800-950-6264).
Stories have incredible power, and I hope this one will help build empathy, raise awareness, and reduce the stigma around hoarding. In 2018 the World Health Organization finally classified hoarding disorder as a medical condition, which is starting to spur much-needed research, education, outreach, and intervention for the benefit of children growing up in hoarding households.
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