Inside the Cluttered Chaos of 'Hoarders' Jake and Shirley on A&E by Reg Seeton
A&E
has stepped up their interventionist reality programming
with Hoarders, the recently premiered series that
explores the seldom talked about mental disorder
that inflicts over 3 million Americans. Like the
popular A&E series, Intervention, each week Hoarders
taps into the lives of two hoarders and the families
affected by a debilitating, obsessive disorder
that prevents people from letting go of possessions
accumulated over years of hoarding. In the September
7 episode of Hoarders, "Jake / Shirley," the accumulation
also extends to animals, which, in an eye opening
exploration of the extreme nature of the disorder,
has near fatal and legal consequences.
Having recently helped one of my own family members let go of years worth of accumulated belongings, as I explained last week from the episode,"Tara / Betty," while also coming to Hoarders with a background in psychology and sociology, it's easier to approach a series like Hoarders when you know hoarding is the byproduct of much deeper, often more complex emotional and psychological problems, with many environmental factors also at play. In the case of 21 year old Jake from Novato, California and 71 year old Shirley from New Mexico, much like the previous episode, hoarding is a result of deeper lingering issues that have spiralled out of control.
With
Jake, an openly gay young man who should be
seizing the prime of his life, we get a glimpse
into his family life as his alcoholic father,
Terry, also a hoarder, lives in the same house
as his son. It's a cluttered relationship that
sees two people pushing each other to the edge
of extremes in a house where everything goes
in but nothing leaves. Jake used to manage his
disorder but so much personal attachment has
been placed on objects that everything in the
house has meaning, which gives rise to feelings
of deep seeded guilt at the thought of throwing
things away. Jake is so swallowed alive by his
disorder that suicide is the most frequent and
painful topic of conversation. And for those
who don't know, talk of suicide is often the
loudest cry for help. As we come to find out
throughout the September 7th episode of Hoarders,
Jake is really just a normal kid inside who
has complex issues to confront who seriously
needs help along with his father before they
both meet a tragic collective fate. The most
important factor in Jake's life at the outset
of the episode is that he's willing and ready
for change, which is the key to unlocking the
chains that bind people with such a debilitating
disorder.
As for Shirley, a recovering stroke victim
blind in one eye, her hoarding has been complicated
by a need to take care of the neighborhood's
cat population. Not only has Shirley accumulated
so much stuff over time that her home is bursting
at the seams with possessions and garbage, she
and her husband Bailey have become care providers
to over what appears to be 20 to 25 feral cats.
In one of the most extreme cases of hoarding
you'll see all season, Shirley's home has been
deemed uninhabitable, unhealthy, and unsafe
by the sheriff's department while Animal Control
has also stepped in to investigate animal cruelty
charges. What we see and learn of Shirley's
life, also with the help of her son, is that
playing mother to wild and unwanted cats is
also a masked replacement for an empty void
filled by the felines who she sees as children.
Although Shirley's cat problem is much deeper
than that, hoarding is the manifestation of
issues that have lingered over the years to
a point where cats and garbage have become a
security blanket of sorts. However, unlike Jake
who's willing to change, Shirley is forced to
confront her problem and accept what she can't
control or face prosecution by the law.
For
Jake, help arrives in the form of Dr. Tara Fields
who serves as the bridge between reality and
the disorder. Although Jake is ready to move
forward, albeit with much panic and anxiety,
his father Terry isn't willing to trust the
doctor and embrace the change he and his son
so desperately need. However, Terry, still a
loving father, steps aside for the sake of his
son. Interestingly, although the process of
letting go is tough at first, Jake soon begins
to blossom as he actively takes part in cleaning
the home. Shirley, however, has trouble comprehending
the severity of her situation as the sheriff
and Animal Control arrive to find and seize
all cats in the home. What begins as an estimated
number of 20 to 25 cats turns into many more
to unexpected, grisly, stomach turning results.
Cats and kittens, past and present, are found
everywhere as teams comb through the house and
garage while an anxiety riddled Shirley leaves
to let the process take care of itself. With
the help of hoarding specialist, Matt Paxton,
Shirley and Bailey are able to begin a life
of change by first freeing themselves of the
cats and then unnecessary possessions. Still,
the road to starting anew is like walking through
a pet cemetery and a stark reminder of how extreme
the disorder can be for some who are trapped.
With the help and encouragement of Dr. Fields, Jake is an active participant in his change. Interestingly, and a sign that Jake should be able to manage is disorder, he already knows right from wrong. More importantly, he recognizes right from wrong and why hoarding traps him. Less active in her steps to change, Shirley finds herself at a point of learning with her disorder. Although she's forced to let go, we do see signs of a wanting to change, which is the main, overall factor in the steps to overcoming life as a hoarder. Like I mentioned last week, helping hoarders is a big job with deep personal and psychological connections to material things that define a person's identity and life throughout the years. The good thing is that A&E's Hoarders raises awareness on the fact that hope and help is out there for anyone who wants it.
I truly hope that Jake will be able to get the help he needs and that his father will eventually come to his senses and get help too. Jake seemed to be very smart and well spoken and if he can get this under control he can do anything he wants with his life. Truly the sky is the limit for Jake.
Reply to Bob
Louis Karl
June 16, 2010 - 08:30
Subject: about Jake
A&E did a follow up on a few different people and one of them just happened to be JAKE....He had me crazy up there his whole follow up....Here's a great kid....Plus, his father started therapy and he's sober....They are getting around and Jake is back in school....This kid is such an inspiration to me for many reason....Thanks
ms. grateful
September 08, 2009 - 10:31
Subject: good work Jake!!
You are a shining, inspiring example of what people can due if they have the courage to do what they need to do to face their fears along with a therapist who has both the skill and compassion to join with the them, not the symptoms,
to free themselves from their suffering and achieve their goals! You weren't looking for someone else to do it for you. You are a hero not just to others but hopefully to yourself as well. I hope your sweet Mother is relieved, your Father is inspired to do his own work and your boyfriend gets a big pat on the back for his support!! NAMASTE!!!
Justin
September 08, 2009 - 02:55
Subject: Jake
Awe I feel so bad for him. I feel like the world could just crush me with the weight of sadness I feel. When he said [dying would be better], it really sounded like something I would and have said. I know how sad he is inside. I hope he gets better. He's such a cute guy and he looks like he has a huge heart.
If you read this Jake, hang in there bud. Things will be better someday.
Justin
Randy
September 07, 2009 - 22:17
Subject: Jake
@Adam, that is not very helpful and a an extremely uninformed opinion. Jake clearly has issues. Those issues are exacerbated by living with his alcoholic father who has even more issues than Jake. At just 21, to be thinking seriously of suicide as an option is more than just being lazy.
I was so impressed with Jake and the progress he made. I'm very hopeful that he will work through his issues. He definitely needs to move out of that apartment and away from his father. His boyfriend is clearly very supportive and loves him very much. How many partners would love and support someone with such a disorder? It shows that Jake is more than this disorder and clearly has much to offer.
I wish Jake and his boyfriend all the best for the future. If anyone from the "Hoarders" show has a shot at a long, healthy, happy life, it is Jake. Best of luck to you Jake, you've done so much already, I know you can continue on the wonderful path you've chosen to take.
Adam
September 07, 2009 - 21:53
Subject: Jake
Jake doesn't seem to be a hoarder, he's just a lazy, dirty person. Clean your house.
A&E
has stepped up their interventionist reality programming
with Hoarders, the recently premiered series that
explores the seldom talked about mental disorder
that inflicts over 3 million Americans. Like the
popular A&E series, Intervention, each week Hoarders
taps into the lives of two hoarders and the families
affected by a debilitating, obsessive disorder
that prevents people from letting go of possessions
accumulated over years of hoarding. In the September
7 episode of Hoarders, "Jake / Shirley," the accumulation
also extends to animals, which, in an eye opening
exploration of the extreme nature of the disorder,
has near fatal and legal consequences.
With
Jake, an openly gay young man who should be
seizing the prime of his life, we get a glimpse
into his family life as his alcoholic father,
Terry, also a hoarder, lives in the same house
as his son. It's a cluttered relationship that
sees two people pushing each other to the edge
of extremes in a house where everything goes
in but nothing leaves. Jake used to manage his
disorder but so much personal attachment has
been placed on objects that everything in the
house has meaning, which gives rise to feelings
of deep seeded guilt at the thought of throwing
things away. Jake is so swallowed alive by his
disorder that suicide is the most frequent and
painful topic of conversation. And for those
who don't know, talk of suicide is often the
loudest cry for help. As we come to find out
throughout the September 7th episode of Hoarders,
Jake is really just a normal kid inside who
has complex issues to confront who seriously
needs help along with his father before they
both meet a tragic collective fate. The most
important factor in Jake's life at the outset
of the episode is that he's willing and ready
for change, which is the key to unlocking the
chains that bind people with such a debilitating
disorder.
For
Jake, help arrives in the form of Dr. Tara Fields
who serves as the bridge between reality and
the disorder. Although Jake is ready to move
forward, albeit with much panic and anxiety,
his father Terry isn't willing to trust the
doctor and embrace the change he and his son
so desperately need. However, Terry, still a
loving father, steps aside for the sake of his
son. Interestingly, although the process of
letting go is tough at first, Jake soon begins
to blossom as he actively takes part in cleaning
the home. Shirley, however, has trouble comprehending
the severity of her situation as the sheriff
and Animal Control arrive to find and seize
all cats in the home. What begins as an estimated
number of 20 to 25 cats turns into many more
to unexpected, grisly, stomach turning results.
Cats and kittens, past and present, are found
everywhere as teams comb through the house and
garage while an anxiety riddled Shirley leaves
to let the process take care of itself. With
the help of hoarding specialist, Matt Paxton,
Shirley and Bailey are able to begin a life
of change by first freeing themselves of the
cats and then unnecessary possessions. Still,
the road to starting anew is like walking through
a pet cemetery and a stark reminder of how extreme
the disorder can be for some who are trapped.