Ep 9. I Can't Breathe

In this episode of Hoarding: Buried Alive, we are introduced to Lisa, a woman in her mid-50s who has been struggling with hoarding for over thirty years. Her home is filled to the brim with various objects including clothes, papers, and even old VHS tapes. Lisa's hoarding has reached a point where it is severely impacting her health, and she struggles to even move around in her home due to the clutter.

Lisa's family is deeply concerned about her well-being and has pleaded with her to seek help for her hoarding. However, Lisa has been resistant to change and has convinced herself that she is capable of managing her hoard on her own. Her daughter, Jennifer, describes feeling like she is watching her mother slowly kill herself as the hoarding continues to take over her life.

We see Lisa as she interacts with a professional hoarding therapist, who attempts to help her understand the severity of the situation and the need for change. Lisa becomes emotional as she discusses the trauma she experienced in her childhood, which she believes to be a contributing factor to her hoarding behavior.

As the therapist works with Lisa to address her underlying emotional issues and help her develop coping mechanisms, we also see a team of professional organizers working to declutter Lisa's home. The process is slow and difficult, as Lisa struggles to let go of items that she has held onto for years.

One particularly challenging moment occurs when Lisa is forced to confront her collection of old newspapers, which date back several decades. She becomes visibly distressed as the organizers attempt to convince her to throw them away, stating that she feels like she is losing a part of herself by letting go of these items.

Despite these challenges, the team of organizers presses forward and is eventually able to make significant progress in decluttering Lisa's home. However, it becomes clear that there is still a long way to go, as Lisa's basement is completely blocked by clutter, making it nearly impossible to access.

Throughout the episode, we see Lisa struggling with physical symptoms related to her hoarding, including difficulty breathing due to the dust and debris in her home. Her family becomes increasingly concerned for her, and there is a sense of urgency as they work to get her the help she needs before it is too late.

As the episode comes to a close, we see Lisa continuing to work with the therapist and the professional organizers, slowly but surely making progress in overcoming her hoarding behavior. The episode ends on a hopeful note, as Lisa expresses gratitude for the help she has received and acknowledges the long road ahead in overcoming her hoarding tendencies.