"Help! I'm a Hoarder" Show on TLC

My blogger friend Dr. Amie Ragan at Psychology of Clutter just posted about a show on TLC called "Help! I'm a Hoarder." It will air on Wednesday, September 19th, at 8:00 and 11:00PM Eastern.  You can view it in its entirety at the Helping Hoarders website.  I watched it and thought they did a good job of discussing the psychological and cognitive issues behind the problem. 

One thing that stood out to me was when "Melodie," a hoarder who was featured on the show, said it's like not having the ability to get the signal that says you're full and you want to keep eating, only it's stuff that you want to keep collecting.  This woman was facing eviction for violating fire codes and she could barely walk through her apartment.  Another thing that stuck out to me was her repeated use of the phrase "perfectly good." We talk about this all the time-- that the item may be perfectly good, but it doesn't mean it's perfectly good for you to own it and keep it.

I thought I would share my resources again here for those with hoarding or chronic disorganization issues:

• www.nsgcd.org National Study Group for Chronic Disorganization, affiliated with NAPO
• www.childrenofhoarders.com supporting those with family members who have this problem
• www.helpinghoarders.com
• www.squalorsurvivors.com

Let me know what you think about the program.

Comments

[Bertrand]

What happened to Melodie? I want to help her. My Mother suffers from hoarding but I have been helpful to her by trying to listen to her and make changes in her behavior her decision. I am no expert, but how can I help Melodie? Did she get evicted? Where is she and how can I help?

[Lorie Marrero]

I agree, I would also like to know what ultimately happened to Melodie. TLC producers, are you out there?

- Lorie

[Donna]

Hello,
For those of you inquiring about Melodie, I know she has a website, and you might be able to get the update on her from contacting the site admin. there?
Here is the link:
http://www.helpmelodie.com/media.html

Donna
www.helpinghoarders.com
www.childrenofhoarders.com

[Miranda]

According to Melodie's website, she was evicted, and she's homeless now. What the show didn't say (or if it did, I missed it) is that Melodie has a brain injury that affects her short-term memory, and contributes greatly to her hoarding behavior.

I wonder if a group home might be the best thing for her. It just seems like living alone was really not working for Melodie.

[Donna]

Hi-
First time I've checked back here since I posted the message with Melodie's site address...I just wanted to note the comment directly below it that says is by me was not...
I only made the one comment. I have no thoughts about Melodie being group home at all!
Just wanted to clarify that-thanks. Must be a computer glitch or something?
:) Donna

[Lorie Marrero]

Hi Donna, on my screen it shows that "Miranda" made that comment, not you... not sure what happened there!

Thanks for checking in here!
- Lorie

[Donna]

Oh I'm a ding-dong. The message posters details are listed *below* their post, not *above*, where I was looking.
Whoops-My mistake! :) Donna

[Melodie]

DEC 25, 2007 From Melodie regaurding "What happend to Melodie":
[the short answer is NOTHING-literally.]

Sorry if this is too long to post: For over seven years I have been seeking help thru the city & county of SF. Unfortunately it's been as effective as seeking help from a paramedic budgeted for a bicycle & a first-aide-kit. I have yet to find, let alone recieve any "treatment" for "hoarding" [a diognosis made by my former landlords etc. who are not medical doctors nor trained on Early Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury] Nor have I ever recieved any rehabilitation for the Traumatic Brain Injury sustained in approx age two, 1960 and not diognosed until a brainscan in 1997.

My brainscan reveils Left Temporal Lobe TBI; and not the specific problem areas in the brain typical of "Hoarding" which Dr.Sanjaya Saxena, MD shows & explains in the Documentary.

The process of recieving a "Homectomy" has left me discombobulated, (resources have been severed by this process.) I am hopeing to find access to a scanner to scan copies of my brain scan, so my friend can post it on the website: helpmelodie.com .

At this point I don't have anyone helping me with any of my cognitive difficulties -memory & retrival problems- in daily living, or to stay on task -small capacity of short-term working-memory- Tho I have much of this info, I have no resources to scan nor post it. I still don't have access to anyone who would be availible to help me organize my thoughts to make a list then figure out what my next step would be.

Doing the best I can with what I've got.

PS I don't have a clue as to how I got to this website. but I did copy the address as my other attempts to repeat how I got here failed.

[Melodie]

Regaurding: brain typical of "Hoarding" which Dr.Sanjaya Saxena, MD shows & explains in the Documentary

For more info on Neurobiology of Hoarders go to Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/06/040603070801.htm

Artical: PET Study Finds Neurobiology Of Hoarders Differs From Other Obsessive-compulsive Disorder Patients

"LOWER brain activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus of compulsive hoarders... ...This brain structure helps govern decision-making, focused attention, motivation and problem-solving, cognitive functions that are frequently impaired in compulsive hoarders...."
[Melodies' brain scan shows INCREASED activity in anterior -front- cingulate gyrus]

"...In addition, the hoarding group showed decreased brain activity in the posterior cingulate gyrus..." "...posterior cingulate gyrus is involved in spatial orientation and memory..."
[Melodies Brain Scan shows NO abnormalties in posterior -back- cingulate gyrus]

[Melodies brain scan also shows "decrease anterior -front- posterior -back- left temporal lobe consistant with past head trauma"]

[Ellen]

Hi everyone,

I just saw Melodie's documentary rerun on TLC this evening, and have now checked out her website and these postings.

I live in Wisconsin, and am familiar with the current government funding/programs available in the Developmentally Disabled (DD) system. These services include persons with a TBI.

Are DD services available for Melodie? This does not necessarily mean a group home, as mentioned above. In my county there is a waiting list to receive services...but even if that is the case, has Melodie been made aware of a waiting list?

It is hard to read about someone who needs DD services and hasn't received them, and in turn is now homeless.

Wishing there was more help,
Ellen

[R.Wilson]

Does anybody know is she is homeless i relly want to help this woman.

[Lorie Marrero]

Read the above comments to this post- Melodie herself actually posted here and she has a website at www.helpmelodie.com.

- Lorie

[Clutterman]

Melodie's affliction, obviously, is not well understood by the mainstream. I can relate.

But why is it incumbent on her landlord to put up with it, for decades (since 1986)? Doesn't he have the right to manage the building, such that she does not represent a hazard to the other tenants?

[Jay]

Melodie has a storage unit in the same place I do. I was surprised to see her after seeing the show. She is currently homeless and I think she sleeps in her storage unit from time to time.

[Melodie]

from Melodie to Ellen:
Tho I tried, I do not fit the criteria of "Developmentally Disabled". TBI agency has only two hours per month for me. Even the Human Rights Commission was not able to get any SF agency to address TBI. At best, agencies are baffled at what to do with me. At worst, attitudes indicate TBI charactoristics are misconstrude as if I were a drug addict. I have become a human ping-pong ball. A lot of the agencys I know of target alcohol & drug abuse. Perhaps funding is worse here in California, or just SF.
It is distressing when others with higher cognitive function than me but have physical disabilities can not get thru the system either. I am copeing but very little progress is being made on my underlying issues. I do not have access to people who have the time & the patience.

[Melodie]

From: Melodie to: R. Wilson
I am very greatful to know you would like to help me. I am uncertian how to proceed, and the help melodie website is currently down.[Nov.19 '08] [My friend who set it up is having her own difficulties.]

yes I am homeless. a friend lets me stay in his car, so at least I can be out of the rain most days. :-)

[John]

I would like to get a copy of the original TLC program "Help, I'm a Hoarder" Can't find it in TLC/Discovery catalog. Can anyone help?

[Lorie Marrero]

John, just Twittered your request out there-- will post here if I find out anything.

- Lorie

[Lorie Marrero]

Here's a link to a site that has the entire show posted there. It's chopped up into segments. Will this work? Or do you have to have a physical DVD copy?

http://budurl.com/helphoarder

- Lorie

[April]

There is a program called HANDLE that did a study with 5 adult TBI patients, published in the July 2006 issue of Journal of NeuroImaging. Their website is www.handle.org. It's a movement-based program that organizes the brain for more efficient cognitive functions and can be done at home with very little materials (no expensive equipment to buy).

[Sally Lea]

I'm working on a documentary series that hopes to shed light on the difficulties of dealing with compulsive hoarding disorder. We are offering clutter removal and professional therapist specializing in OCD and hoarding treatment specifically. If you or someone you know is dealing with hoarding and would like to share your experience visit www.hoardersdocumentary.com or email at hoarders@sfpseattle.com

[Mitsy]

Where are Melodie's parents? Siblings? I find it hard to believe there is no one who could take her in. Also, how did she even pay rent if she did not have a job?

[Jane]

I have a tiny apt.. and things are adding up, especially clothes.
I feel that I may have these symptoms. Was wondering if there is any help in Michigan.

[Terri]

To Mitsy:

I do not find it hard to believe. Perhaps she is an only child and her parents are dead? Perhaps her family isn't able to cope with her condition. There are all kinds of logical reasons.

She may have been in a rent-controlled apartment. Or perhaps qualified for rent reduction. I'm sure she has some government assistance, such as disability, etc. Again, there are all kinds of logical reasons.

[Terri]

To Jane:

Please do not give up. A message board may not have specific information. I would contact your local county mental health provider and see what kind of response they give you. Or possibly contact A&E's Hoarders tv show. http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/treatment/

Best of luck to you.

Terri