Cindy: [ Voice quivering ]
IT STARTED DOWNSTAIRS... AND...THEN THE FAMILY ROOM...
AND THE KITCHEN. [ GRUNTS ] HOARDING HAS RUINED MY LIFE. Pam: IT'S JUST GOT TO THE POINT
WHERE THERE'S TOO MUCH. IT IS EMBARRASSING. I THINK I WANT TO KEEP IT.
[ CHUCKLES ] LIVING WITH A HOARDER
IS A LIVING HELL. I HAVE NEVER TOLD ANYBODY. Laurie: WE JUST WANT YOU
TO GET BETTER. WE WILL DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES. [ Voice breaking ]
I KNOW, BUT WHAT IF
I CAN'T GET RID OF IT? --<font color="#FFFF00"> Captions by VITAC --</font><font color="#00FFFF">
www.vitac.com</font> CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS Narrator: FROM THE STREET,
MIKE AND CINDY CARROLL'S HOUSE LOOKS LIKE ANY OTHER
IN SUBURBAN COLUMBUS, OHIO. I'M GONNA TRY TO MOW
THE GRASS TOMORROW, OKAY? OKAY. BUT A GLIMPSE INSIDE SUGGESTS
SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY. CINDY CARROLL
IS A COMPULSIVE HOARDER. SHE LIVES HER LIFE HEMMED IN
BY THE MOST MUNDANE OF THINGS. Cindy:
WE'RE HAVING AN AVALANCHE. Mike:
YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH THERE
WITHOUT KNOCKING SOMETHING OFF. I DO IT EVERY DAY. IT'S YOUR STUFF. I KNOW IT'S MY STUFF. OKAY, THEN. BUT YOU COULD
RESPECT MY STUFF. BUT YOU DON'T PICK UP
MY STUFF. OH, YES, I DO. NO, YOU DON'T. I TOTALLY
TAKE CARE OF IT. YOU CAN'T FIND
MY STUFF. [ SCOFFS ] IT HAS HURT MY RELATIONSHIP
WITH MIKE, MY KIDS. MY PARENTS HAVEN'T
BEEN TO MY HOUSE IN 10 YEARS. HOARDING HAS RUINED MY LIFE. DO YOU KNOW
WHERE THE CHIPS ARE? Mike: PROBABLY
UNDERNEATH SOMETHING. SHUT UP. OH, IT'S HORRIBLE.
IT MAKES YOU FEEL BAD. YOU HATE TO GO HOME, AND CAN'T WAIT TO LEAVE
TO GET OUT OF THAT CLUTTER, THAT MESS, YOU KNOW,
AND IT'S SO FRUSTRATING. IT'S ABSOLUTELY
THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING THAT I'VE EVER BEEN THROUGH
IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. Dr. Frost: COMPULSIVE HOARDING
IS THE INABILITY TO THROW AWAY
OR DISCARD POSSESSIONS THAT ARE OF LIMITED USE
OR VALUE. THE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL
THAT IS ACCUMULATED BEGINS TO CLUTTER THE
LIVING SPACES TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT IT MAKES THEM UNUSABLE. ONE STUDY SUGGESTS
THAT UP TO 5% OF THE POPULATION SUFFERS FROM
COMPULSIVE HOARDING. Narrator:
FOR EXTREME HOARDERS LIKE CINDY, PERFORMING
ORDINARY HOUSEHOLD TASKS OFTEN REQUIRES
EXTRAORDINARY CHOREOGRAPHY. I WILL NEED TO GET...
OVER HERE TO GET A FRYING PAN. AND THEN I MOVE
THAT STUFF DOWN... ...AND THEN I COOK. I USE, LIKE,
THAT LITTLE LEDGE THERE TO, LIKE, PUT --
IF I'M GONNA MAKE PORK CHOPS, I'LL PUT A PLATE THERE
AND DO MY STUFF. [ Chuckling ] THAT'S MY LITTLE
PREP SPACE RIGHT THERE. LIKE, I CUT UP POTATOES THERE. [ PORK CHOPS SIZZLING ] Mike: SHE ALWAYS RUNS ME OUT
WHEN SHE'S COOKING. HAVING ALL THAT STUFF AROUND
THE STOVE WITH HER COOKING, IT SCARES ME, AND THEN, ALSO,
I TEND TO LAUGH AT HER WHEN SHE'S STUMBLING AROUND
THE KITCHEN. [ Chuckling ]
THIS IS WHEN IT GETS FUNNY, AND I GO, "MIKE, DO YOU KNOW
WHERE THE PLASTIC WRAP IS?" [ OBJECTS RATTLING ] AND I HATE TO COOK.
I HATE TO COOK. MAYBE I WOULD LIKE IT
IF I DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THIS. I DON'T KNOW. [ Chuckling ] YOU'RE JUST TIRED
OF COOKING WITH ME, AREN'T YOU, HONEY? I'M FIXING IT RIGHT NOW, AND THEN I'LL TAKE
MIKE'S PLATE IN TO HIM, AND HE'LL EAT IN THERE,
AND THEN I'LL EAT RIGHT HERE. Narrator: DINNER WAS ONCE A MEAL
MIKE AND CINDY SHARED TOGETHER. BUT NOT ANYMORE. OH, THAT LOOKS GREAT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OOH. CINDY'S THINGS HAVE LITERALLY
FORCED MIKE INTO THE BEDROOM. OKAY. NOW THEY EAT ALONE,
SEPARATED BY STUFF. HEY, MIKE,
YOU NEED A DRINK? SURE. YOU WANT WATER? YEAH, WATER WOULD BE FINE --
ICE WATER, PLEASE. OKAY, JUST A SECOND. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? NO. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S IT. WHERE YOU GOING? I'M GONNA GO EAT. OKAY. OKAY. Cindy: AND THEN AFTER
WE'RE FINISHED EATING, I'LL GO BACK IN AND ASK HIM
IF HE NEEDS ANYTHING ELSE, AND HE'LL TELL ME,
"THAT WAS A GOOD DINNER!" [ LAUGHS ] AND THEN HE USUALLY
GOES BACK TO BED. THAT'S OUR NIGHT. Narrator: HOARDING CAN RANGE
FROM MILD CASES OF CLUTTER TO LIFE-THREATENING CHAOS. AND DOCTORS ARE STILL DEBATING WHETHER IT SHOULD BE
OFFICIALLY CATEGORIZED AS AN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE
DISORDER. HOARDERS ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE
INDIVIDUALS. THEY TEND TO NOT RESPOND
TO THE SAME THERAPY. THEY TEND TO NOT RESPOND TO THE SAME TYPES OF MEDICATIONS
AS O.C.D. INDIVIDUALS DO. IT'S QUESTIONABLE AT THIS POINT WHETHER HOARDING
SHOULD BE ACTUALLY CLASSIFIED UNDER OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE
DISORDER. Pam: OKAY.
LET'S GO WAKE UP ISAIAH. Narrator:
PAM PEARSON HAS KNOWN FOR YEARS
THAT SHE HAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. MR. 'SAIAH.
TIME TO GET UP, DARLING. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? IN HER MARYLAND HOME,
POSSESSIONS ARE EVERYWHERE. TODAY IS PICTURE DAY,
ISABEL, SO WE GOT TO SEE ABOUT GETTING
ISAIAH SOMETHING NICE TO WEAR. WHEN I'M ALONE, UM,
I GET OVERWHELMED. I LOOK AROUND
AND SAY, "OH, MY GOODNESS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START." DID YOU SLEEP WELL? Narrator: PAM HAS CUSTODY
OF HER TWO GRANDCHILDREN. BUT HER HOARDING HAS LEFT HER
WITH SO LITTLE SPACE THAT ISAIAH IS FORCED
TO SLEEP IN THE BED WITH HER. MY GRANDSON ISAIAH IS 7,
AND HE'S IN FIRST GRADE. HE'S A SWEETHEART,
AND MY ISABEL IS 3, AND SHE, UH -- SHE'S JUST
AS SWEET AS SHE LOOKS. ISAIAH, ARE YOU HUNGRY,
DARLING? Isaiah: MNH-MNH. GET YOUR SHOES. Narrator: PAM WAS 44 WHEN SHE
BECAME A FULL-TIME MOTHER AGAIN. SHE HADN'T PLANNED ON IT, BUT IT WAS THE ONLY WAY
TO KEEP HER FAMILY TOGETHER. GO TAKE ISAIAH TO THE BUS.
LET'S GO. GOODBYE. ALL RIGHT, WE GOT TO LOOK
AND LISTEN, GUYS, WHEN WE CROSS THE STREET,
RIGHT? MY DAUGHTER'S NAME IS LYNNéE, AND WE STARTED DEVELOPING
A LOT OF TROUBLE SOME EARLY ON
IN HER TEEN YEARS, AND WE STILL HAVE
A PRETTY TURBULENT RELATIONSHIP. SO, WHAT DO WE HAVE TODAY?
YOU HAVE MUSIC TODAY? THINGS -- THINGS HAVE --
HAVE TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE, AND I PRETTY WELL HAVE
HER CHILDREN FOR THAT REASON. [ Singsong voice ]
HAVE A GOOD DAY. Narrator: HER DAYS ARE NOW A
BLUR OF SCHOOL BUSES, DAY CARE, AND SERVING DRINKS
AS A BARTENDER. AND AT TIMES, THE PRESSURE
CAN BE OVERWHELMING. OH, GOD, YES.
[ LAUGHS ] YES. THE STRESS LEVELS COME AND GO. THERE'S SOME DAYS I JUST... WANT TO SCREAM MY HEAD OFF, AND OTHER DAYS, YOU KNOW, I'LL
TAKE TIME AND GO SIT IN THE CAR JUST BECAUSE THERE'S
TOO MUCH CHAOS IN THE HOUSE. WELL, I'LL TRY
TO CONCENTRATE. "P." GONNA MAKE THAT AN "O." ALL RIGHT. TRY AND BE NEATER. I KNOW YOU CAN BE
NEATER ABOUT THAT. Narrator: PAM'S LIFE
IS A CONTRADICTION. SHE'S MADE A COMMITMENT
TO HER GRANDCHILDREN'S FUTURE, BUT SHE KNOWS HER HOARDING COULD
BE PUTTING THEM BOTH AT RISK. I THINK IT'S JUST GOTTEN TO THE
POINT WHERE THERE'S TOO MUCH, SO IT'S HARD TO CONTROL. I'D LIKE
TO SEE THE HOUSE DECLUTTERED JUST TO KNOW THAT THE KIDS
WERE COMFORTABLE. Narrator: WHILE PAM STRUGGLES TO
FORGE A NEW PATH FOR HER FAMILY, CINDY SEEKS TO RECLAIM HERS AS HER DAUGHTER COMES TO VISIT
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS. [ Voice breaking ] I DIDN'T
MEAN FOR IT TO BE THAT WAY. I KNOW.
IT'S OKAY, MOM. Narrator: CINDY CARROLL
BEGAN HOARDING 15 YEARS AGO WHEN HER SON, SHANNON,
LEFT HOME FOR COLLEGE. Cindy: WHEN SHANNON LEFT, I
STARTED SHUFFLING STUFF AROUND. I WAS REALLY SAD WHEN HE LEFT. Narrator: THREE YEARS LATER,
DAUGHTER LAURIE FOLLOWED SUIT, AND CINDY'S PROBLEM
SHIFTED INTO OVERDRIVE AS SHE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO FILL
THE EMPTY NEST -- LITERALLY. Cindy: WHEN LAURIE MOVED OUT,
I DIDN'T HAVE TO SHUFFLE BECAUSE I COULD JUST
LEAVE THE STUFF IN HER ROOM. HER ROOM WAS THE FIRST ONE
THAT WAS FILLED UP. [ Voice quivering ] AND THEN...
THEN IT STARTED DOWNSTAIRS... IN SHANNON'S ROOM. HIS WAS PROBABLY
THE SECOND ROOM. AND...THEN THE FAMILY ROOM. THEN THE LIVING ROOM. Narrator: SHANNON, NOW THE OWNER
OF A LOCAL WINE STORE, STILL REMEMBERS THE LAST TIME
HE TRIED TO HELP HIS MOM CLEAN. THAT WAS OVER SEVEN YEARS AGO. SHE HAD A WHOLE BUNCH
OF CRAP OUT IN THE BACKYARD, SO I WENT BACK THERE
AND STARTED, YOU KNOW, THROWING STUFF AWAY, AND, OF COURSE, SHE WAS
BACK THERE HOVERING OVER ME AND, LIKE, FREAKING OUT
AND STUFF, AND I WAS LIKE, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
I CAN'T DO THIS." WHICH, YOU KNOW,
I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HER, "THAT'S ALL IT IS, IS STUFF. "YOUR FAMILY
IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL THESE MAGAZINES." AND SHE DIDN'T GET IT,
I DON'T THINK. SO I STOPPED. Narrator: THOUGH HE LIVES
LESS THAN 8 MILES AWAY, SHANNON HAS NEVER BEEN BACK. FAMILY MEMBERS OF HOARDERS ARE USUALLY VERY ANGRY
AT THE PERSON WHO'S HOARDING. THEY TEND TO FEEL VIOLATED,
THEIR TERRITORY'S TAKEN. HUSBANDS OR WIVES
THREATEN TO DIVORCE. CHILDREN, IF NOT EARLIER ON, LATER ON FEEL
VERY UPSET AT THE PARENT, AND THERE'S USUALLY,
AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER, A LOT OF ANGER THAT COMES OUT. Mike: I THREATENED TO LEAVE
20, 30, 40 TIMES, I'M SURE. UH, "CLEAN UP THE HOUSE
OR I'M GONNA GO. YOU KNOW,
I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS." HOARDING, WHEN IT GETS
TO THIS STAGE IS ALL-CONSUMING. I MEAN, IT ENCOMPASSES
EVERYTHING IN OUR LIVES. Narrator: IN FACT, THE STUFF CINDY'S ACCUMULATED
OVER THE YEARS HAS ISOLATED HER AND MIKE
FROM VIRTUALLY EVERYONE, WHICH MAKES TODAY A BIG DAY. [ CHUCKLES ] MY DAUGHTER'S COMING OVER TODAY. [ Voice breaking ] SHE HASN'T
BEEN HERE IN ABOUT TWO YEARS. SO IT'S A LITTLE HARD,
BUT IT'S OKAY. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHAT HER
REACTION IS GONNA BE BECAUSE, I MEAN,
THIS IS WHERE SHE GREW UP, AND, UH -- AND NOW
IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT. Cindy: SHE WAS THE ONLY PERSON
I WOULD LET COME OVER, AND THEN I JUST THOUGHT IT
WAS A LITTLE TOO MUCH FOR HER, SO I JUST QUIT LETTING HER COME,
TOO, SO... IT WAS HARD FOR ME.
IT WAS HARD FOR HER. HI, SWEETIE. HI! [ LOUD SMOOCH ] HOW ARE YOU GUYS? GOOD, GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? HI. YOU READY? I'M READY. YOU SURE?
[ LAUGHS ] LET'S DO IT.
[ SIGHS ] Narrator: LAURIE'S SEEN PICTURES
OF THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE, BUT IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE SHE'S SET FOOT
IN HER CHILDHOOD HOME. [ CHUCKLES ] Cindy: OH. IT'S A LOT. [ BOTH CHUCKLE ] OH. THINK IT'S WORSE? YES. YOU DO? YES. OH. [ Voice breaking ] I THOUGHT
IT WAS ABOUT THE SAME. NO. YEAH, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY
IT'S WORSE. IT'S...KIND OF CLAUSTROPHOBIC
ALMOST. UH... IT FEELS VERY TIGHT. IT'S --
IT'S KIND OF SAD. [ OBJECTS RUSTLING ] I HATE TO SEE... [ SIGHS ] [ Voice breaking ] I DIDN'T
MEAN FOR IT TO BE THAT WAY. [ SOBS ] SO... I KNOW.
IT'S OKAY, MOM. [ CRYING ] IT'S OKAY. BUT... BUT...
I JUST KIND OF... PUT STUFF THERE
TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY, AND -- AND I WAS TRYING
TO ORGANIZE IT, AND THEN I DIDN'T HAVE
ANY PLACE TO PUT IT, AND IT JUST GOT BAD. [ SNIFFLES ] AND THEN I TRIED
TO ORGANIZE OVER THERE 'CAUSE THAT
USED TO BE CLEAN. AND I DIDN'T HAVE
ANY PLACE TO PUT IT. SO I JUST
SHUFFLED IT AROUND. [ SNIFFLES ]
OKAY? MM-HMM. ARE YOU GONNA HELP ME? YES. YOU PROMISE? I PROMISE. [ SIGHS ] WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS. Narrator:
TAKING IN THE SURROUNDINGS, IT'S HARD FOR LAURIE TO IMAGINE THIS IS THE SAME KITCHEN
SHE GREW UP IN. EVERY SATURDAY, MY DAD WOULD
WAKE UP AND MAKE FRENCH TOAST. I REMEMBER THE BISCUITS,
THE HOMEMADE BISCUITS, AND CHOCOLATE GRAVY. HE LIKED
TO MAKE BREAKFAST. YEAH. THAT'S PROBABLY WHY BREAKFAST
IS MY FAVORITE. [ LAUGHS ] I LIKE BREAKFAST. THIS WAS MY SPOT
RIGHT HERE. [ CHUCKLES ] IT'S NOT REALLY THERE ANYMORE,
BUT... AND THEN SHANNON SAT THERE. MY DAD SAT THERE.
MY MOM SAT HERE. [ Laughing ] HE'D TELL YOU, "CALL YOUR MOM AND FIND OUT
HOW TO MAKE IT." [ Laughing ] OH, GEE.
IT'S NOT THAT HARD. OUR CHILDHOOD WAS VERY HAPPY. WE HAD EVERYTHING
THAT WE WANTED. MY MOM MADE SURE
THAT WE HAD NICE CLOTHES, AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD LOTS
OF REALLY GOOD FRIENDS. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE ATE DINNER
AS A FAMILY EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. IT WAS PICTURE-PERFECT.
IT REALLY WAS. Narrator:
AND THE HOUSE WAS CLEAN. MY SISTER AND I,
WE HAD A JOB JAR, AND, LIKE,
WE HAD TO VACUUM EVERY DAY AND CLEAN THE BATHROOMS
AND DUST AND COOK AND CLEAN. I MEAN, THAT WAS -- OUR HOUSE
WAS SPOTLESS WHEN WE WERE KIDS. Narrator:
BUT EVEN AS HER ENVIRONMENT
BEGAN TO TRANSFORM AROUND HER, CINDY COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED THE TOLL IT WOULD TAKE
ON HER ONCE HAPPY FAMILY. [ Voice breaking ]
I THINK THAT -- THAT'S WHAT'S HARD FOR ME
IS BECAUSE... WHEN I BUY THIS STUFF,
THAT'S WHAT I ENVISION. I ENVISION THAT THEY'LL ALL
BE HERE WHEN I BUY -- YOU KNOW, LIKE,
I'LL BUY NEW DISHES, AND I'LL THINK, "YOU KNOW, "I'LL USE THESE DISHES
FOR THANKSGIVING, AND THEY'LL ALL BE HERE." SO, I HOARD BECAUSE I WANT THOSE
OLD MEMORIES BACK. I JUST HAVE THIS VISION
OF WHAT IT'LL BE LIKE WHEN THEY
COULD ALL COME HERE, AND I CAN'T --
I CAN'T UNDERSTAND... WHY THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN
BECAUSE OF THE STUFF. I BUY THE STUFF
TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, AND THE STUFF
IS WHAT'S HINDERING ME. SINCE SHE LEFT THE HOUSE
IN 1996, LAURIE'S ALSO SEEN A DRAMATIC
CHANGE IN HER PARENTS. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, THEY WERE VERY AFFECTIONATE
TOWARDS EACH OTHER -- ALWAYS HUGGING AND KISSING
AND "I LOVE YOU," AND NOW, YOU KNOW,
AS I GOT OLDER, MY DAD WOULD TELL ME,
"I CAN'T TAKE IT. IF YOUR MOM DOESN'T GET BETTER,
I'M GONNA LEAVE HER." AND IT'S VERY UPSETTING TO HEAR,
YOU KNOW, YOUR DAD TELL ME, "I'M GONNA LEAVE YOUR MOM
IF SHE DOESN'T GET BETTER." IT'S UPSETTING. IT HURTS, AND I THINK
MAYBE THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I KIND OF STOPPED
GOING OVER THERE. [ SIGHS ] WHAT DO YOU THINK?
[ SIGHS ] IT'S...A LOT. YEP. IT'S DEFINITELY
GOTTEN WORSE. A LOT WORSE.
A LOT WORSE. AND IT'S NOT
GONNA GET BETTER. NO. SHE'S ONLY GETTING WORSE,
AND WE JUST GOT TO GET HER HELP. BECAUSE, UH,
IT'S GONNA GET TO THE POINT TO WHERE TWO PEOPLE ARE
NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE. MM-HMM. SO, I MEAN,
THERE'S BARELY ROOM NOW. OH, YEAH. I DON'T KNOW
HOW YOU GUYS DO IT. I DON'T KNOW HOW
THE TWO OF YOU LIVE HERE. Narrator:
ONE THING IS CLEAR -- THE CARROLL FAMILY IS STRAINING UNDER THE WEIGHT
OF CINDY'S STUFF. AND TIME IS QUICKLY RUNNING OUT. Cindy:
THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED. Mike: THAT IS EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED. NO. WE WERE GONNA SELL
SOME OF HER STUFF, AND -- IT WAS WINTER.
WE WEREN'T GONNA SELL THE STUFF. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT,
BUT NOT TILL LATER. AND THAT WAS
THE END OF IT. NO. I THINK WE'VE JUST BEEN SWEEPING
IT UNDER THE RUG FOR SO LONG
THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED TO -- TO START TALKING ABOUT IT AND
FIGURING OUT HOW TO HELP HER. WE JUST WANT YOU TO GET BETTER.
WE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. [ Voice breaking ]
I KNOW, BUT WHAT IF
I CAN'T GET RID OF IT? GONNA PLAY
WITH KEVIN TODAY, BUD? Narrator:
LIKE MOST PEOPLE, PAM PEARSON BELIEVES
IN GETTING THE MOST OUT OF ANY ITEM SHE OWNS. IF I THINK IT CAN BE REUSED OR SOMEONE CAN GET
SOME USE OUT OF IT, UM, IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE NEAR
THE GARBAGE CAN. Narrator: BUT PAM'S COMPULSION
TO BUY AND SAVE THINGS GOES WAY BEYOND MOST PEOPLE'S. I THINK I'VE GOT
EVERY TOY THEY'VE EVER HAD. Isaiah:
YEAH, A DOG. Narrator:
RECOGNIZING THIS, SHE'S CONTACTED PSYCHOLOGIST
RANDY FROST, WHO SPECIALIZES
IN HOARDING CASES. Dr. Frost:
HI, PAM? UH-HUH. HI -- RANDY FROST. HI. HOW ARE YOU? NICE TO MEET YOU. NICE MEETING YOU. PAM HOPES DR. FROST
CAN HELP HER IDENTIFY SOME OF THE CAUSES
THAT UNDERLIE HER BEHAVIOR. I HAVE A LOT OF TOYS
THAT THE CHILDREN PLAY WITH, A LOT OF THEIR GAMES,
A LOT OF BOOKS. CAN WE TAKE A LOOK
AT THE REST OF THE HOUSE? SURE. TO YOUR RIGHT'S
THE BATHROOM. RIGHT HERE'S THE KITCHEN. THERE ARE THE CABINETS
AND THE STOVE. HERE'S THE HALLWAY -- DEFINITELY
A BOOKSHELF I WANT TO WORK ON. UM, THIS EVENTUALLY
IS GOING TO BE ISAIAH'S ROOM. THIS HAS LAYERS
OVER THE PAST 11 YEARS. THIS SEEMS LIKE
ALL A JUMBLE. DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHERE
THINGS ARE LOCATED HERE? NO, ACTUALLY
THEY'RE LAYERED. SO I KNOW WHERE A COUPLE THINGS
ARE, BUT NOT EVERYTHING. BUT NOT EVERYTHING. NO. OKAY. AND THEN TO THE RIGHT
WOULD BE THE ATTIC. AND THEN THIS
IS MY BEDROOM. SO, THIS IS WHERE YOU
AND ISAIAH SLEEP. AND YOU GOT A PATHWAY
NEXT TO THE BED, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE CLOSET
IS BLOCKED. HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET
IN THE CLOSET? I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE CLOSET
TOO OFTEN LATELY. SO THAT'S
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FUNCTIONING
OF THE HOUSE IS THAT THE SPACES DESIGNED
FOR KEEPING THE CLOTHES ARE KIND OF BLOCKED OFF. RIGHT. SO, PAM, WHEN DID
ALL THIS START FOR YOU? IT STARTED ABOUT
10, 11 YEARS AGO. I LOST MY FIANCé
IN A CAR ACCIDENT. HE WAS ONLY 35,
AND IT WAS QUITE A LOSS. [ Voice breaking ] THE CAR
ACCIDENT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, UM, TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. HE HAD HEAD INJURIES. HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
FOR FIVE DAYS. THOSE FIVE DAYS
WERE BASICALLY A NIGHTMARE. THE SATURDAY NIGHT
BEFORE HE PASSED, THEY HAD TOLD ME
THAT THE MEDICINE TO KEEP THE SWELLING IN HIS
BRAIN WASN'T WORKING ANYMORE. [ EXHALES SHARPLY ] Narrator: AFTER HIS DEATH, PAM
INHERITED HER FIANCé'S HOUSE. BUT WITH IT CAME MEMORIES THAT
DEEPENED HER FEELINGS OF LOSS. THE FIRST FEW YEARS
WERE REALLY HARD BECAUSE I KEPT LOOKING FOR HIM,
OR, YOU KNOW -- HE ACTUALLY PROPOSED TO ME
RIGHT IN THE LIVING ROOM. DID YOU FIND YOURSELF
HAVING TROUBLE GETTING RID OF SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT BELONGED TO HIM? HIS CLOTHES AND SO FORTH? YES, I STILL HAVE
A FEW POSSESSIONS OF HIS THAT I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE
TO GET RID OF. AND I HONESTLY
DON'T KNOW WHY. YEAH. FOLLOWING A TRAUMA,
SOMETIMES PEOPLE END UP FEELING LIKE ALL OF THEIR BELONGINGS
ARE SAFETY SIGNALS, AND IF ANY ONE OF THEM
IS TAKEN AWAY, THEY FEEL MORE VULNERABLE. Narrator: IT'S CLEAR THAT PAM
HAS SURROUNDED HERSELF WITH POSSESSIONS THAT HAVE
POWERFUL SENTIMENTAL VALUE FOR HER. AS A NEXT STEP,
DR. FROST CONDUCTS AN EXPERIMENT DESIGNED TO TEST
PAM'S PERSPECTIVE ON ONE OF THOSE ATTACHMENTS. PAM, CAN YOU TELL ME
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS? WELL, IT WAS ONCE FILLED WITH
CANDIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, THAT I HOLD ON
TO BRING OUT EACH CHRISTMAS. UH-HUH. I HAD SENT ONE TO MY MOM
AND ONE TO MY AUNT, SO, IN GENERAL, IT BRINGS BACK
THE MEMORIES OF THEM. AND HOW MANY CHRISTMAS
DECORATIONS DO YOU HAVE? OH, MY GOODNESS --
TOO MANY. WAY TOO MANY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE
YOU REALLY NEED THIS FOR DECORATING CHRISTMAS. NO, IT'S NOT A NEED. IT'S MORE OF A SENTIMENTAL
ATTACHMENT. OKAY. LET'S SAY THAT YOU DID
JUST THROW THIS AWAY... YEAH, THROWING AWAY SEEMS
VERY MUCH OF A WASTE TO ME. LET ME MAKE THIS EXPERIMENT
A LITTLE MORE...DIFFICULT, OKAY? LET'S SAY, "WHY DON'T I TAKE
THIS WITH ME AND GET RID OF IT?" MM-HMM. WHAT WOULD THAT
BE LIKE FOR YOU? DO YOU NEED IT?
[ LAUGHS ] I-I'M NOT GOING TO
TELL YOU... [ Laughing ] OKAY. [ LAUGHS ] ...IF I NEED IT OR NOT. [ Chuckling ] OKAY. DR. FROST IS USING A METHOD CALLED COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORAL THERAPY. ITS AIM IS TO HELP PEOPLE
REINVENT THE WAY THEY PERCEIVE AND ASSIGN MEANING
TO THEIR BELONGINGS. SO IF I WALK OUT THE DOOR
WITH IT TODAY, HOW WILL YOU FEEL? I THINK...YEAH. OKAY, BUT YOU'RE
NOT QUITE SURE. I'M NOT QUITE SURE.
[ LAUGHS ] OKAY. FOR PAM, LETTING GO OF AN OBJECT
IS LIKE LETTING GO OF A MEMORY. TO FREE HERSELF FROM THIS HABIT, SHE'LL NEED TO REVERSE
YEARS OF BEHAVIOR AND GO THROUGH
SOME INTENSE DISCOMFORT ONE POSSESSION AT A TIME. CINDY'S ROAD TO RECOVERY
WILL BE EVEN MORE GRUELING. BUT FIRST,
SHE NEEDS TO FACE HER FAMILY. WHY, OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE,
HAVE YOU, LAURIE OR SHANNON, NOT MET WITH MOM AND DAD AT
A RESTAURANT OR ANYWHERE ELSE? I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE ASKING THEM. THEY'RE THE PARENTS. HI, ISABEL! Narrator:
LONGTIME HOARDER PAM PEARSON IS FINALLY READY
TO PUT HER THERAPY INTO ACTION. TODAY SHE AND SOCIAL WORKERS MARY ELLEN McCANDLESS
AND ALICIA POOR WILL TACKLE HER CATCH-ALL ROOM, WHICH STORES 11 YEARS
OF POSSESSIONS AND MEMORIES. PAM WANTS TO TURN IT INTO A
BEDROOM FOR HER GRANDSON ISAIAH. RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY PLACE
HE HAS TO SLEEP IS IN PAM'S BED. Pam: I WOULD LIKE FOR IT
TO BE A NICE, OPEN SPACE WHERE HE CAN PLAY,
HAVE HIS PlayStation IN HERE, HAVE HIS DIFFERENT GAMES
IN HERE. BUT THE CLEANUP
WILL NOT BE EASY. THESE WERE CUTE. THESE ACTUALLY
GO ON CHRISTMAS BALLS. THIS BOOK ACTUALLY
IS A VERY OLD "BETTER
HOMES AND GARDENS"... MM-HMM. ...AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT
EVENTUALLY MAYBE SHARING IT WITH THE KIDS. I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK I WANT TO KEEP IT. [ CHUCKLES ] WHAT YEAR IS THAT? OH, IT'S ONLY '97,
SO IT'S NOT THAT VERY OLD. DO YOU THINK
YOU COULD TOSS IT? I THINK I CAN TOSS IT.
YES. YAY! GOOD JOB! YES. YOU'RE DOING
VERY GOOD TODAY, PAM. Narrator:
JUST TWO HOURS LATER, PROGRESS. WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER LOAD
TO TAKE OUT TO THE VAN, AND THEN WE'LL BE ALL DONE
FOR TODAY. YOU GOT YOUR KEYS? I HAVE THE KEYS. [ CHUCKLES ] Narrator:
BUT BEFORE MARY ELLEN AND ALICIA TAKE THE DISCARDS
AND DONATIONS AWAY, PAM HAS ONE MORE ITEM
TO DEAL WITH. I'M GONNA DONATE IT, AND, UH,
I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THAT. [ LAUGHS ] [ CAR DOOR CLOSES ] Narrator: CINDY CARROLL
HAS ALSO TRIED TO STOP HOARDING FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS
WITHOUT SUCCESS. [ DOORBELL RINGS ] SO TODAY, SHE'S MEETING
DR. FUGEN NEZIROGLU, AN EXPERT ON ANXIETY DISORDERS,
INCLUDING HOARDING. HI. HI. READY TO COME IN?
[ LAUGHS ] I'M READY. OKAY. DR. NEZIROGLU COMBINES
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY WITH SKILLED
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS TO HELP HOARDERS
CONFRONT THEIR DISORDER HEAD-ON. LET'S START... Dr. Neziroglu:
WHENEVER I SEE A HOARDER, THEY ALWAYS TELL ME THEY'RE
GONNA DO IT ON THEIR OWN, AND I KNOW THEY'RE NOT
GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT. THEY WOULDN'T BE HERE
IN THIS SITUATION TODAY IF THEY HAD THE SKILLS
TO BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE AND PRIORITIZE
AND MAKE DECISIONS. BEHIND THIS
IS THE LIVING ROOM. MM-HMM. RIGHT? AND YOU HAVE
FURNITURE THERE? YEAH, THERE'S A COUCH,
TWO CHAIRS, AND A TABLE. OKAY. AND THEN THERE'S JUST LIKE
STUFF BEHIND THERE. EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT TO ME
WHAT'S HERE SO I KNOW
WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH. WELL, I HAVE, UM -- I LIKE BAGS.
SEE ALL MY BAGS THERE? OKAY.
MORE BAGS. WELL, MY FRIEND
KNOWS I LIKE THEM, AND SO SHE GOT THEM FOR ME. BAGS AND BAGS. MM-HMM.
I HAVE STUFF IN... Narrator:
NEAR THE KITCHEN, DR. NEZIROGLU
SPOTS A COLLECTION OF JARS THAT OFFERS A GLIMPSE INTO
THE WAY CINDY'S MIND WORKS. BUT I HAVE LOTS OF JARS --
LIKE THIS JAR. I LIKE JARS. RIGHT, I NOTICED THAT.
YOU HAVE A LOT, A LOT OF JARS. [ CHUCKLES ] I LIKE THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE
LIKE THE MEASUREMENTS ON IT. MM-HMM. AND MY FRIEND MADE ME SOME SOUP,
AND SHE USED THESE -- NOT THIS PARTICULAR JAR,
BUT JARS, AND I REALLY LIKE THE SOUP, SO I THOUGHT I COULD SAVE THESE
AND MAKE MY OWN SOUP. AND IF YOU WERE TO GET RID
OF IT, WHAT IS THE FEAR? WHAT DO YOU IMMEDIATELY
START THINKING? LIKE,
IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE IF I HAVE TO
GO FIND ANOTHER JAR, IT WAS WASTEFUL
'CAUSE I THREW OUT THAT JAR, AND I HAD IT,
AND NOW I DON'T HAVE IT, SO I'M JUST
NOT GONNA DO IT AT ALL. SO THE DREAM'S GONE. THIS IS PERFECT FOR WHAT
I WANT TO USE IT FOR. OKAY -- THE SOUP. MM-HMM. YEAH. AND THIS IS PERFECT,
OR...? THIS IS PERFECT
FOR PAINTING. FOR PAINTING. AND YOU COULDN'T DO THAT
IN THIS JAR? NO, BECAUSE
THAT WOULD WASTE THIS JAR BECAUSE THIS ONE'S
FOR SOUP. THIS IS FOR PAINTING. AND YOU COULDN'T PUT SOUP
IN HERE? NO. NO. BECAUSE IT'S NOT
A GLASS JAR. I SEE. YOU NEED A GLASS JAR. UH-HUH. SO YOU MAKE UP THESE RULES
IN YOUR HEAD, ACTUALLY, RIGHT? YEAH, I DO, I DO. DID YOU JUST NOTICE THAT? YEAH, I DIDN'T REALIZE
I MAKE UP THESE RULES AS I GO. SHE'S NEVER MADE SOUP. THE LIKELIHOOD IS
SHE'S NOT GONNA MAKE SOUP, AND IF SHE DID EVER MAKE SOUP, SHE HAS SO MANY OTHER CONTAINERS
TO PUT THE SOUP, BUT I KNOW THAT CINDY'S
NOT GONNA GIVE AWAY ALL HER SOUP JARS,
SO I WOULD TRY TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SOUP JARS
SHE HAS MAYBE TO TWO. Cindy: WHEN I START TURNING
AND MOVING THINGS, [ Voice breaking ]
I WILL TAKE THIS STUFF AND MOVE IT INTO THE TUB. AND THEN WHEN
WE HAVE TO TAKE A SHOWER, I HAVE TO MOVE IT BACK, AND SO THEN I FINALLY JUST QUIT
MOVING IT ALL THE TIME. I SEE. Narrator: IN DESCRIBING
HER ELABORATE STRATEGIES FOR FUNCTIONING IN HER OWN HOME, CINDY'S SHAME
COMES TO THE SURFACE. BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE
TO THINK I'M LAZY. I MEAN, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH LAZINESS WHATSOEVER. IT'S JUST FEELING
OVERWHELMED, NOT KNOWING
HOW TO MAKE DECISIONS, NOT KNOWING HOW TO ORGANIZE, AND NOT KNOWING HOW TO CHANGE
THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT THINGS. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO
LEARN, AND YOU CAN LEARN THAT. [ Chuckling ]
OKAY. HOPEFULLY. YOU WILL. CAN I HUG YOU?
[ LAUGHS ] THANK YOU. YOU MADE MORE SENSE TODAY
THAN ANYBODY EVER HAS. NOBODY'S EVER
UNDERSTOOD. AWW. YOU'RE GONNA BE FINE.
REALLY. OKAY. Narrator: TO HELP CINDY,
DR. NEZIROGLU'S FIRST STEP IS TO GET HER TO FACE THE
PROBLEM HEAD-ON WITH HER FAMILY. BUT THEIR MEETING
TAKES A STARTLING TURN WHEN CINDY REVEALS A SECRET
KEPT HIDDEN FOR DECADES. I NEED A MINUTE. HANG ON.
I CAN -- I CAN DO IT. Narrator: STUDIES INTO THE
CAUSES THAT UNDERLIE HOARDING ARE JUST BEGINNING. PAPA, ARE YOU HOME? Man:
THE DOOR'S OPEN, SWEETIE. BUT THERE MAY BE
A REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S
A GENETIC LINK. HOW ARE YOU? OKAY. Pam: HOW ARE YOU TODAY, DAD?
HOW YOU FEELING? FINE. FINE? Narrator: PAM PEARSON'S FATHER
IS A HOARDER, TOO. AND THE SIMILARITIES
ARE EVERYWHERE. OH, MY GOODNESS. IT'S A LITTLE EMBARRASSING. Narrator: ONE STUDY
IN PARTICULAR AT JOHNS HOPKINS SEEMS TO SUPPORT
A GENETIC CONNECTION. Dr. Frost: IN THESE STUDIES,
WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ARE LINKS AMONG
ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO HOARD. LOOKING AT THE DNA PATTERN,
THEY HAVE AN ASSOCIATION, SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS THAT'S
DIFFERENT ON CHROMOSOME 14 AND THAT'S IN COMMON
WITH THE PEOPLE WHO HOARD, OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. WHAT THAT SUGGESTS IS THAT THERE
IS SOMETHING ON THAT CHROMOSOME THAT'S DIFFERENT. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT YET.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LINK IS. WE DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S JUST TO HOARDING OR TO SOME
UNDERLYING CHARACTERISTIC. NO, NO. THAT'S --
THOSE ARE MY TOOTHPICKS. Narrator: WHETHER OR NOT
THERE'S A GENETIC LINK, IT'S CLEAR THAT FAMILY SUPPORT
DURING TREATMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME
THE CARROLLS HAVE MET TO DISCUSS CINDY'S HOARDING, AND DR. NEZIROGLU
BEGINS WITH A KEY QUESTION. I GUESS ONE THING
I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND IS THAT WHY,
OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE, HAVE YOU, LAURIE OR SHANNON,
NOT MET WITH MOM AND DAD AT A RESTAURANT
OR ANYWHERE ELSE? I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE ASKING THEM. THEY'RE THE PARENTS. Mike:
SHANNON'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. UH, AS PARENTS,
WE HAVE NOT MADE THE EFFORT. WE HAVE GOTTEN WRAPPED UP IN --
IN A COCOON -- THAT HOUSE. I HAVE GOOD MEMORIES FROM WHEN
I WAS A KID AND GROWING UP, AND MY PARENTS WERE -- THEY WERE
GREAT WHEN WE WERE KIDS. I DON'T WANT TO
GO INTO THE HOUSE AND SEE THE WAY IT IS NOW 'CAUSE I KNOW I GOT A PRETTY
GOOD IDEA WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, AND I DON'T WANT
THOSE MEMORIES. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT. Dr. Neziroglu:
DOES THAT SOMEHOW DIMINISH
YOUR MOTHER IN ANY WAY, THE FACT THAT -- IN MY MIND? YES, THAT SHE HAS
ALL THIS CLUTTER. I DON'T SEE HOW PEOPLE
LIVE LIKE THAT. I THINK IT'S...
EXTREMELY UNSANITARY. UH-HUH. AND I SURELY
DON'T LIVE THAT WAY. I'M A NEAT FREAK. MM-HMM. MY HOUSE IS SPOTLESS.
I CLEAN IT EVERY DAY. I THINK THAT THE CARROLLS FELT THAT THEY WERE
VERY CLOSE AT ONE POINT. SOMETHING GOT
MISCOMMUNICATED THERE, AND THE FAMILY ACTUALLY
REALLY STARTED FALLING APART. Narrator:
AS SHE PROBES FURTHER, DR. NEZIROGLU UNCOVERS
A SURPRISING REVELATION ABOUT CINDY'S PAST. SOME PEOPLE
HAVE A SENSE OF DEPRAVATION. SOME PEOPLE COME FROM HOMES
WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T VERY MUCH. WHAT WAS YOUR HOME LIKE? I NEED A MINUTE. HANG ON.
I CAN DO IT. HANG ON.
I CAN -- I CAN DO IT. [ SNIFFLES ] IT USUALLY
IS A TOUCHY SUBJECT. YEAH, IT STARTED
BACK THEN. UM... [ Voice quivering ]
MY DAD WAS IN THE SERVICE. WE WENT TO TURKEY.
WE WERE THERE FOR TWO YEARS. THEN WE CAME BACK, AND I WENT
TO TWO DIFFERENT, UM... UH, TWO DIFFERENT
KINDERGARTENS. AND THEN I WENT
TO A DIFFERENT FIRST GRADE, A DIFFERENT SECOND GRADE, AND THEN AT SIXTH GRADE,
WE MOVED. AND THEN
IN THE NINTH GRADE, I WENT TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL,
AND EVERY TIME WE WOULD MOVE, [ Voice breaking ]
I WOULD LOSE ALL MY FRIENDS, BUT I COULD TAKE MY STUFF. YOU WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE
YOUR BELONGINGS WITH YOU? MOST OF THEM. MOST OF THEM. WHEN I WAS IN, LIKE,
ABOUT THE SEVENTH GRADE, [SNIFFLES] MY DAD
BURNED ALL MY STUFF, AND I HAD TO HAND IT TO HIM
WHILE HE BURNED IT. AND THAT WAS HARD. WHY DID HE DO THAT, CINDY? HE WAS JUST TRYING
TO GET RID OF THE STUFF 'CAUSE I COLLECTED
SO MUCH. AND I REMEMBER BEING DEVASTATED
WHEN HE WAS BURNING IT. MIKE, WERE YOU AWARE OF
THIS SITUATION WITH HER FATHER WHEN SHE WAS IN SEVENTH GRADE
WITH THE BURNING? NO. THIS IS THE FIRST
YOU'VE HEARD OF IT? YES. IN ALL THESE YEARS?
YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED 35 YEARS? YOU NEVER TOLD MIKE? I CAN KEEP THINGS
TO MYSELF. I NEVER TOLD LAURIE,
EITHER. LAURIE, YOU NEVER KNEW? VERY SAD.
IT'S VERY SAD. AT LEAST YOU UNDERSTAND
MAYBE WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. I'M NOT SAYING
IT'S THE ONLY REASON, BUT IT CERTAINLY EXPLAINS, AND YOU'RE STILL IN PAIN
ABOUT IT. MM-HMM. AND, OBVIOUSLY, SO MUCH PAIN THAT YOU NEVER
EVEN SHARED IT WITH YOUR FAMILY. I WANT EVERYBODY TO REMEMBER
THAT THE DISORDER IS ONLY ONE ASPECT
OF YOUR MOTHER. YOUR MOTHER
IS NOT THE DISORDER. Narrator: IN REVEALING
HER LONG-BURIED SECRET, CINDY'S TAKEN A BIG STEP TOWARD
RECONNECTING WITH HER FAMILY. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU, TOO. STILL, REAL HEALING
WILL TAKE TIME AND A WHOLE LOT OF HARD WORK. BUT SOMETIMES
THAT WORK DOES PAY OFF. HMM.
WHOO-HOO! Narrator: FOR PAM,
IT HAS BEEN AN EMOTIONAL BATTLE OVER THOUSANDS
OF PERSONAL ITEMS. BUT WITH
A LITTLE EXPERT COACHING AND A LOT OF ELBOW GREASE, SHE'S TRANSFORMED A ROOM FILLED WITH 11 YEARS OF CLUTTER
AND PAINFUL MEMORIES INTO A BRIGHT, CLEAN SPACE
FOR HER GRANDSON. Pam: IT TOOK ABOUT FOUR WEEKS
TO REALLY GET IT CLEARED OUT, AND IT'S TAKEN ANOTHER WEEK
TO GET IT READY AND PAINTED AND ALL SET UP FOR ISAIAH. Narrator: AND THIS IS THE MOMENT
PAM HAS WORKED FOR. HMM. YEAH. WHAT'S THAT? BED. UH-HUH.
AND GUESS WHOSE BED IT IS? MINE! MINE! WHOO-HOO! WHOO-HOO. WHOO-HOO! Narrator: A ROOM
EMPTIED OF THE PAST. Woman: WE MADE THIS ROOM
ESPECIALLY FOR YOU, BUDDY. [ LAUGHS ] YAY! YAY! CLIMB ON UP. Narrator: A PLACE FOR ISAIAH
TO BRING FRIENDS, DO HOMEWORK,
SLEEP, DREAM, AND GROW. THERE, THAT'S BETTER. YOU'RE REARRANGING YOUR ROOM
JUST THE WAY YOU WANT IT. [ LAUGHS ] IT'S ONLY THE BEGINNING,
AND PAM FACES A LONG ROAD AHEAD. Dr. Frost: PAM MAY OR MAY NOT
BE ABLE TO GET OVER THIS, BUT I THINK
SHE HAS A GOOD START. BUT BEFORE SHE'LL REALLY
GET VERY FAR INTO THIS, SHE'S GOT TO BE ABLE
TO CHALLENGE SOME OF THE BELIEFS
THAT SHE HAS ABOUT POSSESSIONS AND TO LIVE HER LIFE ONGOING NOW AND CREATE NEW MEMORIES
IN HER LIFE. WHOO-HOO! WHOO-HOO. WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SORT
THROUGH EVERYTHING IN THIS ROOM, PHYSICALLY TOUCH EVERY SINGLE
ITEM THAT'S IN THIS ROOM. REALLY?
I LOVE THAT. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I NEED.
I NEED TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH IT. Narrator: CINDY CARROLL IS READY
TO CREATE NEW MEMORIES, TOO. AS A NEXT STEP,
DR. NEZIROGLU HAS SUGGESTED THAT SHE WORK WITH
A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER TO BEGIN RIDDING HERSELF
OF THE POSSESSIONS THAT KEEP HER
LOCKED IN THE PAST. OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA
GO OUTSIDE AND START SORTING THROUGH
SOME THINGS SO THAT WE CAN FIND
THE TREASURED ITEMS. DESPITE THE SHOCKING STATE
OF CINDY'S HOUSE, DR. NEZIROGLU BELIEVES
THERE IS HOPE FOR HER. I THINK CINDY WANTS
TO KEEP HER FAMILY TOGETHER -- THE FACT THAT SHE CALLED
AND WANTED HELP. I DO THINK SHE'S MOTIVATED,
AND THAT'S THE FIRST STEP, AND I THINK
THAT IF YOU ENGAGE IN TREATMENT, AND YOU FOLLOW THE STEPS,
THEN YOU WILL HAVE RECOVERY. THEN IT'S A MATTER
OF MAINTAINING YOUR RECOVERY. SO YOU'RE FINE
WITH GETTING RID OF THIS? YEAH. YESTERDAY
I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN, BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE,
I'M OKAY. [ Chuckling ] OKAY. I FEEL LIKE
THE TROOPS HAVE ARRIVED. WE HAVE SOME SOCKS HERE. Laurie: AFTER HEARING WHAT MY
MOM SAID IN OUR THERAPY SESSION, YOU KNOW,
I'M STARTING TO UNDERSTAND WHY SHE DOES HOARD THINGS. SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE ALONE, SO SHE TRIES TO FILL THAT
WITH THINGS AND IDEAS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET HER FAMILY BACK. I THINK IT'S GONNA BE
A LONG ROAD AHEAD OF US. HOPEFULLY
WE CAN MAKE HER BETTER. Narrator: BUT NOT EVERYONE
FEELS SO OPTIMISTIC ABOUT CINDY'S RECOVERY. I'M A REALIST.
I DON'T SUGARCOAT ANYTHING. AND [ INHALES DEEPLY ] I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT SHE
WILL DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT DO I THINK IT? NO, I DO NOT. I DO NOT THINK
THAT SHE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT. Narrator: BUT JUST 10 WEEKS
INTO HER PURGE, CINDY HAS ALREADY MADE
SOME REMARKABLE CHANGES. FIRST, A HUGE TRANSFORMATION
IN HER KITCHEN. AND THEN WITH HER FAMILY. Cindy: READY? OH, YEAH. Cindy: I FEEL LIKE
OUR FRIENDSHIP IS BACK, AND I THINK
THAT'S MADE ME HAPPIER, AND IT'S MADE IT EASIER FOR ME. WOW, THAT LOOKS GOOD. [ CHUCKLES ] Mike:
WE'VE BEEN MARRIED 35 YEARS, AND NOW THAT WE'RE STARTING
TO GET SOME HELP HERE, MAYBE THE NEXT 35 IS GONNA BE AS
GOOD AS THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, 20. OH, IT'S
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. REALLY? Cindy: [ Voice breaking ]
I NEEDED TO DO THIS FOR ME, MY FAMILY, AND I NEEDED TO DO IT FOR
THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HOARD. THEY NEED A VOICE. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO HELP THEM. 'CAUSE I NEEDED HELP,
AND I HAD TO ASK FOR IT. Isaiah:
WHOO-HOO! Dr. Frost:
I THINK PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED
THROUGH THEIR HOARDING PROBLEMS AND HAVE DECLUTTERED THEIR HOME CAN TELL YOU THAT IT OFTEN
IS A CONTINUING STRUGGLE... A STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN
AN APPROACH TO POSSESSIONS THAT DOESN'T GET INVOLVED WITH
AN EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO THEM. AND SO AT THIS POINT, I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY
FOR US TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN CURE IT. [ LAUGHS ] Narrator:
BUT WHILE A CURE FOR HOARDING MAY BE FURTHER IN THE FUTURE, AWARENESS OF THE BEHAVIOR
AND A DESIRE TO CHANGE IT CAN GIVE HOARDERS
AND THEIR FAMILIES REAL HOPE -- HOPE TO ONE DAY EXPERIENCE
THEIR POSSESSIONS DIFFERENTLY... TO LET GO OF PAST MEMORIES... AND TO LIVE MORE MEANINGFULLY
IN THE PRESENT. I THINK YOU'RE PART ITALIAN,
AREN'T YOU? [ LAUGHS ]
