Understanding? or Watching a train wreck?

I recently read an article in the Washington Post titled "Understanding the hoard mentality". It's basically a book review for a book called Stuff. I was immediately intrigued because I sometimes watch the TLC show Hoarders.

I must say I was kind of disappointed in the review. The writer focuses the article on "understanding" that this extreme habit is a medical condition, of which I agree. It's a disorder that can not simply be treated with a talented organizer. Her reaction to this book, which is basically an account of multiple extreme hoarding cases in America, is one of repentance?

She begins to apologize to those people in her life that have this condition and wants the reader to sympathize too and do the same. Then she tries to make it political (Thank you Washington Post) and throws a feminist twist on it complaining about how there is a sexist bias to this disorder where people naturally associate this condition with Women....even though the book clearly accounts equally on both Women and Men living with this disorder.

....Thank you for throwing in your opinion that has nothing to do with the book...hmm....so you want us to sympathize with these people, who may be our friends and family or co-workers and apologize to them for judging their uncouth ways? I get it...I agree...but then what? We don't want the near and dear to continue living with this condition do we? Aren't we just isolating them more? We should acknowledge that their way of life is alright? I don't agree with this one bit.

In fact, if you watch the reality shows on TV that account of people living with this condition and read the stories in the book you can see that many of these people live alone, or in the middle of a divorce. Their families abandon them because of this disorder... This breaks my heart. Yes we need to acknowledge that this isn't just a lazy neighbor who doesn't feel like cleaning, but Hoarding is an actual disorder. These people need our encouragement yes, but to get HELP. To CHANGE their way of life. WE need to be there for THEM.

How is it okay to just acknowledge that they have a disorder and live with the mindset that this is just how they have to live? Isn't that like giving up? Where is the hope in humanity anymore? I'm not saying I have the cure-all but abandoning these people and isolating them into another "group" is like adding another pile onto their already cluttered kitchen table.

I wish the writer would've gone a step further and encouraged action. What can we do to help? In my personal opinion, I don't think simply acknowledging and labeling the issue is enough. In fact it's a set-back.

Thoughts?