Part 11/12:
Amanda touches on the cultural reluctance to acknowledge hoarding as a legitimate mental health disorder. She notes that her family avoided the word "hoarding" altogether, often insisting everything was simply "clutter," because of the shame associated with the diagnosis. This denial delays intervention and perpetuates the cycle of disorder.
She also discusses how societal structures often fail to intervene effectively, with authorities sometimes unable or unwilling to act until dangerous thresholds are crossed. Her own experience trying to involve city officials or emergency services highlights the systemic challenges in addressing hoarding.