[Libertina]

Yes, It must be a mental thing. In my neighbor's case, they have very little money and she is helping break the family financially by her continual buying, as well as destroying any semblance or normal life. Her husband is an enabler, I'm afraid. He won't do anything about it.

[CajunConservative]

When I was a case manager for the mentally ill, one of my clients was a hoarder. I had to inhale deeply before going in her house and then apply benedryl, shower and change afterwards. It was bad.

[Johnny_Cipher]

In my neighbor's case, they have very little money and she is helping break the family financially by her continual buying, as well as destroying any semblance or normal life.

Strangely, the couple in the situation I related make over $150,000 a year between them. The couple are infamous in the community for writing hot checks; their electricity had been turned off for 6 months before my cousin went over there. The house itself was only 2 years old and was worth $200K itself - how they passed the credit check to obtain the mortgage on it is still a mystery.

This illness is obviously not confined to the penurious.

Being hoarders, I still want to take my metal detector over there and give their back yard a good thorough sweep. No telling what is buried back there, and they bounced checks at the local jewelers like crazy.

[CajunConservative]

Yes, It must be a mental thing. In my neighbor's case, they have very little money and she is helping break the family financially by her continual buying, as well as destroying any semblance or normal life. Her husband is an enabler, I'm afraid. He won't do anything about it.

Some people get a rush just like druggies do when they buy something. It's also like a false sense of security for them. Nothing will change until she or her husband hits the bottom. Hopefully, she will see the light before something drastic has to be done.

My client's husband finally put his foot down when they were faced with child protective services possibly getting involved. He decided his child meant more than enabling her habit. It took her longer to get it though, but she did finally get it.