Dirty Little Secrets : The Harsh Reality For Families with Mental Illness by Monarch https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8 en-us 2017-11-29 13:57:27 UTC 2017-12-11 01:23:41 UTC hello@padlet.com What is it? 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212010538 Compulsive hoarding disorder is a mental illness characterized by "a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them." ("Hoarding Disorder - Symp..." by Mayo Clinic).

Not only do people hoard items, there's also hundreds of cases of animal hoarding. More information can be found on the website below.]]> 2017-11-30 18:40:05 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212010538 Common Characteristics 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212383140 Individuals suffering from this condition often get agitated, anxious, and/or overwhelmed when there is a threat towards them keeping their possessions.

They are sometimes delusional and unaware of their problems resulting from their hoarding - often denying the issues or burying them under the rug.

Typical Symptoms include...
  • excessively acquiring items that have no use
  • continual collecting of items despite there being no place to keep them
  • so much clutter from items that parts of house are no longer accessible
  • having a strong tendency towards procrastination, perfectionism, indecisiveness, avoidance
  • issues organizing and planning 
(list referenced from "Hoarding Disorder - Symp..." by Mayo Clinic)
]]> 2017-12-01 18:12:48 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212383140 The Roots of Hoarding 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212388363 There is no specific known root cause for hoarding, but there are indicating factors found that are common amongst hoarders.

Personality :
People who are very indecissive in nature are at higher risk.

Family :
Hoarding has been seen throughout generations within a family. It's believed that those who witness loved ones hoarding at some point in their lives can "catch"
these hoarding tendencies.

Stressful/Traumatic Life Event(s) :
It is very common that people who develop compulsive hoarding disorder to have been triggered into forming this disorder due to life events. Events such as divorce, loss of a loved one, eviction, sexual assault, etc. are often linked to the root of hoarding. These painful events cause a need for a coping mechanism - which can result in the use of hoarding.

(this list also referenced from "Hoarding Disorder - Symp..." by Mayo Clinic)]]> 2017-12-01 18:25:36 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212388363 Effects & Risks 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663035 Hoarding can lead to social and physical isolation and can harm or even destroy relationships.

Compulsive Hoarding can risk health, safety, it can lead to homelessness, and maybe even death. These consequences may not just be put on the hoarder - other members of the family and pets can pay the price as well.

Children and pets can be taken from the home and put into the state's custody, and many marriages don't work out if one of the individuals is a hoarder. 

(referenced from Mayo Clinic's "Hoarding Disorder - Symp...")]]> 2017-12-03 22:15:45 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663035 Treatment 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663059 Psychotherapy (talk therapy) is commonly used to treat Compulsive Hoarding. However many sufferers don't seek help because they can't see or accept their problems.

(image by Curious Tendency on "Psychoanalysis Part 1...")]]> 2017-12-03 22:16:01 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663059 Real Life Case 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663069 In 1947 the Collyer brothers went missing after decades of living as hermits still dealing with the loss of their parents over 20 years prior. Neighbors complained of a smell coming from their shared house in New York - so investigators headed toward the home. Upon arrival they couldn't enter the building. When the authorities final got into the house they were shocked when they found Homer Collyer dead after digging through the mountains of stuff for 5 hours. Mental Floss states that "His corpse was amid tons of junk, including an early X-ray machine, the jawbone of a horse and bundles upon bundles of old newspapers" ("7 Famous Hoarders" David K. Israel). His death is said to have been caused by starvation and heart disease, and it occurred about 10 hours before he was found. After starting to clean the house, Homer's brother - Langley, was then found dead also buried under their stuff. Authorities later found out that he had been dead for about 2 weeks before he was found, and that he was the source of the reported smell. The whole house took about 3 weeks to clean, and was watched by thousands of spectators. ]]> 2017-12-03 22:16:07 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663069 Who is she? 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663389 Lucy is the main character of Dirty Little Secrets. At 16 years old she is the last child in her family living with her mother and her mother's mess. 

]]> 2017-12-03 22:18:54 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663389 Why is she necessary? 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663461 Lucy's character is important because she shows how mental illness affects family relationships and personal aspects of life. She is a new perspective on an increasingly important issue, she tells a story that is never really told. People similar to Lucy exist in the real world, I myself am a living example of it. Publicly addressing this perspective and issue makes for open discussion and awareness. ]]> 2017-12-03 22:19:26 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663461 Brief Description (some spoilers) 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663501 "Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s is bigger and dirtier than most. It’s one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.

With details that are as fascinating as they are disturbing, C. J. Omololu weaves an hour-by-hour account of Lucy’s desperate attempt at normalcy. Her fear and isolation are palpable as readers are pulled down a path from which there is no return, and the impact of hoarding on one teen’s life will have readers completely hooked." ("Dirty Little Secrets" by Goodreads)]]> 2017-12-03 22:19:48 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663501 Issue's Portrayal 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663680 The State of the House :
Throughout the course of the book the house is said to have mold, hazards such as newspapers all over the stove, and even maggots. All of these statements help prove that the house truly is unsafe and unsanitary due to the hoarding.

"The fronts of the cabinets were white once, but now looked as though they were covered in fine, brown dirt, like someone had stood in the middle of the kitchen and flung bags of potting soil all over everything. Except it wasn't potting soil. It was mold..." (Omololu 78)]]> 2017-12-03 22:21:45 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663680 Change 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663707 Over the course of the story Lucy goes through two major shifts in character.

The first personal change she experiences involves her openness towards people. In chapter 11 she lets the 3rd grade neighbor boy - TJ, into her home to help provide her company. Before this Lucy is always fearful that anyone will see the inside of her house, so going from hiding it from everyone to letting someone in is a major change for her.

While cleaning Lucy finds many items that remind her of better times with her mother. She also finds new objects that show her who her mother was before all of this happened. Because she found these items Lucy starts to feel more empathetic towards her mother and feels a sense of love and understanding towards her as well. Before Lucy found these objects she usually only saw her mom as her mental illness, and had close to no empathetic feelings towards her.

("Celtic Zodiac Sign..."]]> 2017-12-03 22:22:01 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663707 Why is it important? 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663978 This issue is important because roughly 1 in 5 U.S. adults experiences mental illness in a year, and 1 in 25 U.S. adults experience mental illness that impacts their life drastically. Because mental illness is so common children may have a parent with mental illness. It is important to support and understand those who live around or with mental illness. People are people, and people cannot choose their mental state or their loved one's mental state. Life can generally suck sometimes, so it is important to be there for eachother.

(stats found on "Mental Health by the Numbers")]]> 2017-12-03 22:23:07 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212663978 What to do to help 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212664015 Talk to people if you are struggling, and always listen to those who are suffering or at a difficult point in their life. The 3rd leading cause of death amongst teens is suicide, so it is important to reach out to others to try and stop this tragedy from happening. ]]> 2017-12-03 22:23:24 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/212664015 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/213438574 "7 Famous Hoarders." David K. Israel. Mentalfloss.Com, 2009, http://mentalfloss.com/article/23071/7-famous-hoarders.]]> 2017-12-05 18:21:44 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/213438574 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214522084 2017-12-08 15:17:11 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214522084 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214529991 Secrets, and C.J. Omololu. "Dirty Little Secrets." Goodreads.Com, 2017, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6759426-dirty-little-secrets.]]> 2017-12-08 15:33:49 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214529991 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214530987  Hoarding disorder - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic
" Hoarding Disorder - Diagnosis And Treatment - Mayo Clinic." Mayoclinic.Org, 2017, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hoarding-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356062.
]]> 2017-12-08 15:35:59 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214530987 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214531381 Hoarding disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic" Hoarding Disorder - Symptoms And Causes - Mayo Clinic." Mayoclinic.Org, 2017, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hoarding-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20356056.]]> 2017-12-08 15:36:42 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214531381 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214534935 "Psychoanalysis Part I – Transference And Countertransference." Curioustendency.Blogspot.Com, 2012, http://curioustendency.blogspot.com/2012/05/psychoanalysis-part-i-transference-and.html#.WiqypFWnHrd.]]> 2017-12-08 15:44:06 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214534935 Issue's Portrayal #2 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214856153 Mental Health of Parent :
Joanna Tompkins (Lucy's mother) is presented as a very complex and layered character as a result of her mental illness. She is shown in two very different ways - as a monster but also as a very loving, compassionate human being.

Several times in the novel she blames Lucy (her daughter) for losing things within the mess. For example, when Lucy arrives home she notices that a stack of newspapers in the house has fallen, and states that her mother will definitely get upset. She then further explains that, "Even with all this stuff crammed into the house, having things out of place made her even crazier. Especially if she thought I'd had something to do with it" (Omololu 17), and then proceeds to tell about an argument that they had the previous night because her mother lost a pair of scissors and was convinced Lucy had something to do with the disappearance.

Joanna not only blames Lucy for misplaced objects, but also for the state of the house. After another flashback to an argument between Lucy and her mother Lucy recalls that, "She always said it was our fault - that Phil (her brother) and I couldn't pick up after ourselves, and that's why this place was such a mess" (Omololu 93).

The mother's hoarding consists of things she buys for people but then loses in the piles of stuff, items she has thought of ANY possible use for (for example : she would keep empty margarine containers to put bottle caps in as well as bread-bag ties), and discount deals that she buys "just in case" the items will come in use eventually.

Despite these parts of Joanna that are purely a manifestation of her mental illness, Lucy reminecises and learns about her mother before she became affected by her mental illness. Lucy finds old newspapers and medals her mother earned for her piano playing skills back when she (Joanna) was a child and young adult, as well as a teddy bear Lucy and Joanna sew together years before. Lucy recalls that once Phil (Lucy's older brother) told her that their mother was a neat freak and a germaphobe up until their father left her.

Lucy also recalls the time that she went to work with her mother. While at her mother's nursing job Lucy is left alone as her mother goes to see a particular patient - Mrs. Collingwood. While peeking through the door Lucy sees her mother soothe the dying woman, and rubbing her feet softly. Lucy states to the reader that "I never asked, but I always pictured Mrs. Collingwood dying that night, with Mom sitting next to herm talking softly and rubbing her feet as she slipped away. It was an image I tried to keep with me whenever she was being particularly unreasonable or screaming her head off at how stupid I was. I would remember back to the day I was proud of her, and somehow that made it not so bad" (Omololu 59).]]> 2017-12-10 21:25:48 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214856153 Issue's Portrayal #3 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214857331 Effects on [Joanna's] Family :
Joanna's children are affected in a variety of ways.

Joanna's son - Phil, tries his best to distance himself from his mother, family, and past as a result of living with his mother's hoarding.

Joanna's oldest daughter - Sara, is showing signs of this disorder as well.

Joanna's youngest child - Lucy, pushes people away out of fear that people will find out about the condition of her mother and house. She also is more grateful for basic things (such as hot water) as a result of her mother's disorder.]]> 2017-12-10 21:36:41 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214857331 Accuracy 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214859682 According to my research and my own personal experience living in an environment similar to Lucy's I conclude that this book is very accurate.  

The research is included in this very Padlet.

(Getty Images)]]> 2017-12-10 21:43:58 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214859682 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214860517 "Archery Target With Arrows, Dark Clouds In Background By Getty Images." Fine Art America, 2017, https://fineartamerica.com/featured/archery-target-with-arrows-dark-clouds-in-background-getty-images.html.]]> 2017-12-10 21:52:28 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214860517 Short and Long Term Impacts 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214861715 The impacts listed below may be long or short term depending on the individual. Impacts naturally differ between people and circumstance, but many of these listed are common.

  • secrecy and shame about parent's mental illness 
  • personal blame/guilt for parent's illness or state of home
  • the development of a mental illness such as Anxiety Disorder
  • medical problems such as asthma
  • difficulty knowing the difference between unhealthy environments and healthy ones

(list information referenced from "The Hidden Lives...")
]]> 2017-12-10 22:06:54 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214861715 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214869889 2017-12-10 23:55:38 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214869889 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214869945 (for photo above : "What to do when...")]]> 2017-12-10 23:56:37 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214869945 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214870433 "Celtic Zodiac Sign: Butterfly." Www.Whats-Your-Sign.Com, 2017, http://www.whats-your-sign.com/celtic-zodiac-sign-butterfly.html.]]> 2017-12-11 00:03:32 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214870433 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214870449 "What To Do When You're Lonely And Have No Friends? (Depression Help) | 7 Cups Of Tea." 7Cups.Com, 2017, https://www.7cups.com/qa-depression-3/what-to-do-when-youre-lonely-and-have-no-friends-5843/.]]> 2017-12-11 00:03:50 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214870449 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214870473 Suzanne A. Chabaud, PhD. "The Hidden Lives Of Children Of Hoarders | Psychiatric Times." Psychiatrictimes.Com, 2017, http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/hidden-lives-children-hoarders.]]> 2017-12-11 00:04:09 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214870473 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214870746 Omololu, Cynthia Jaynes. Dirty Little Secrets. Walker, 2010.]]> 2017-12-11 00:08:04 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214870746 20fuhrmanm https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214871365 " Mental Health By The Numbers | NAMI: National Alliance On Mental Illness ." Nami.Org, 2017, https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers.]]> 2017-12-11 00:18:25 UTC https://padlet.com/20fuhrmanm/n7het8qd0hx8/wish/214871365