There are many reasons people hoard, but in Carrie's caase on "Hoarders" (Mon., 9 p.m. EST on A&E), her illness stemmed from a sense of worthlessness herself. A worthlessness that started at a very young age when she was raped for the first time. She was subsequently raped many more times and abused for years. It was her own belief that she surrounded herself with garbage because that's what she thought of herself.
More than in most episodes of "Hoarders," the real battle in this episode was in the emotional detachment of Carrie in general, and of her fractured relationship with her daughter Trish. Matt Paxton urged Carrie to stay and engage in the process of dealing with her emotions, rather than shutting them off and retreating, as it was that behavior that led to such a stupendous mess.
Conditions in the house were so bad that she'd been living without electricity or running water for three years. As such, there were bottles of urine hoarded within feet of the front door, not to mention the filth of other human waste. It was the visual representation of Carrie's self-worth, but with the help of Dr. Green she and Trish were at least able to begin the process of communicating.
Trish talked about the emotional trauma she had suffered from growing up in that house, being teased and called "white trash" by the other kids at school, and Carrie took responsibility for her role in that and in the enormous mess she'd created.
After the clean-up, it was good news for Carrie in that the house didn't need to be condemned. It was rather a major fixer-upper, but with a newfound drive to start a new and more positive chapter in her life -- and with a better relationship being established with her daughter -- Carrie looked ready to take it on.
"Hoarders" airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on A&E.
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