Prevent Hoarder Disorder sufferer from becoming homeless!

Help RadMASH to support a member of the community! She has reached out in a desperate situation, finding herself in personal and financial crisis. For the sake of her dignity, she would like to remain anonymous. She suffers with Hoarding Disorder, and is being given impossible deadlines by the landlord to clear her flat, otherwise threatening the forcible possession of all of her belongings, and ultimately eviction! The property is so hoarded, she gets distressed and overwhelmed to the point that she fears hurting herself. For many years, she was reluctant to tell anyone about it, or seek help, because she felt ashamed, and was fearful of the consequences, which she is facing now... When our friend talks about this problem, she describes it as having "destroyed (every aspect of) her life."

She left her family home to escape abuse, there's no one she can turn to, and remains isolated and estranged from her family. Having Hoarder Disorder also adds to her loneliness and isolation, and is one of the reasons she hasn't managed to make new friends and gain a social circle.

Hoarding is a recognised mental illness, and understood to be a symptom of trauma. Hoarding is associated with severe Depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and for our friend she has accepted it as a lifelong battle which she hoped to be able to work through at her own speed. However, she now faces a desperate situation as she is expected to tackle this problem without the support of a mental health professional, and in such a short timeframe. She has received some basic support from a charity, but unfortunately due to limited funding this support has now ended, and she is isolated, and struggling to access appropriate support. Alongside the anxiety of losing her home, the anxiety caused by the illness itself, and the threat of losing all her belongings has taken a huge toll on her mental health. The condition of her flat, as well as being a health and safety risk, causes a lot of overwhelm as she lives in a non-functional property (i.e. is unable to use her kitchen and cannot access rooms), and she feels as though she faces an impossible task. There is safety electrical work that needs to be carried out at the property, but repair men have refused to enter the property, as they did not feel it was safe to do so. The property is a fire risk, not just to herself, but to the neighbouring properties as well, and all the fire exits are blocked.

At the moment the biggest barrier standing in the way is a financial one, as her sole source of income is disability benefits. Whilst our network can provide practical support with the task, it is difficult for the work to begin without any funds. Professional psychological support to address the underlying trauma is inaccessible without funds. The time frame given requires the help of specialist services, which are very costly, so we’ve compiled a rough estimation of expenses, to give an idea of the costs our friend will be facing, and which may inform how much you might want to donate.

Costs:



**Please note that she does not intend to rent the storage space forever, however the property is currently so full that she needs the space to be able to sort through her things**

The long term goal is to buy the property, so she can work through the hoarding issue in her own time, and will no longer need to constantly fear the threat of eviction. In the meantime, the space is currently non-functional and extremely disruptive to everyday life. She has mobility issues and even entering and moving around the flat poses a hazard. There is nowhere to sit down in the flat, even. The sheer size of the task is so overwhelming, that renting another space short term, to provide the mental respite required in order to get the task done is imperative.

All donations, no matter the size, are very much appreciated.

Thank you so much! ❤

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RadMASH is a local mutual aid network which aims to offer an alternative to the broken political system and sustain our communities through solidarity and caring for one another. If you would like to know more or get involved with our work check us out at https://www.instagram.com/sheff_radical_mutual_aid/