Hoarders: Why is This Show So Addicting?

As my husband finally sat down to clear some of his recordings off the DVR, I couldn't help but let my eyes wander and watch some of A&E's Hoarders. This particular episode had two of the angriest hoarders I've ever seen - one hoarded chickens in her trailer and the other hoarded bunnies in a rental home.

These two people were incredibly defensive. Hanna, the chicken lady, refused to let any of the injured or starving chickens be taken to get cared for. Instead, she constantly screamed and shouted, swearing like a sailor at anyone who crossed her path. The cleaning crews pushed through to try to clean the place up, anyway.

The bunny hoarder, Gary, was apparently angry that the Animal Protection Agency never came to pick the bunnies up the first time. He kept ditching out on the clean up process, making snide comments, and acting like a child. After they removed the hoard of bunnies, they found mice. After they let the mice go in the field and cleaned the house, some bunnies started popping out of the holes in the wall.

This episode wasn't even the worst of the ones I've seen! There was another where the home was over-run with cats. There were dead cats everywhere. Another, (which may have even been the cat house), was so terrible that the occupants of the home were actually going to the bathroom in bags and throwing them in the stairway because they could no longer get to the bathrooms.

The worst part is that neither of us can stop watching. I sit here on the couch with my mouth hanging open and just stare because I can't believe what I'm seeing. I don't know what's worse - the fact that these people have such horrible hoarding problems, or the fact that it makes for such good, fascinating television.

I'd elaborate more, but we just started watching the last episode on the DVR: a man that hoards rats and was forced to move out of his home because the rats took over and started pulling his hair out and licking him when he slept and a woman that lives with about 50 cats. Can't wait to see where this goes...

If you have found yourself hoarding and in need of help, finding a local therapist may be the best first step for you. Please see this article for further information: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/therapy/how-do-i-find-a-therapist-near-me/.