Ep 2. Holding Mom Hostage

In Hoarding: Buried Alive season 6 episode 2, titled "Holding Mom Hostage," we meet a woman named Louise who has been hoarding for over 20 years. Louise lives with her daughter, who has a child of her own, and her granddaughter. The house is filled with clutter, and Louise's hoarding has caused a strain on her relationships with her family.

Louise's daughter, who is now an adult, reveals that she felt like she had to take on a maternal role growing up because of her mother's hoarding. She would clean the house and take care of her younger siblings, while her mother would continue to accumulate more and more items. As an adult, she now feels like she has to take care of her mother and her own child, and the burden is beginning to weigh heavily on her.

We see how Louise's hoarding has impacted her granddaughter as well. The young girl has to navigate piles of clothes and items just to get to her bed, and she is only able to play in a small corner of her room that is not cluttered. As we hear from her and her mother, we can see how the hoarding has affected their daily lives and caused them stress.

Louise's daughter enlists the help of a professional organizer, as she knows that her mother is resistant to the idea of cleaning up her home. The organizer emphasizes the importance of having a support system and enlists the help of the family to make the process less overwhelming for Louise.

The episode then follows the process of clearing out the house, with Louise's daughter and granddaughter helping to make decisions about what to keep and what to discard. As we see items being removed from the house, we hear from Louise about how difficult it is for her to part with things. She reveals that she has attachment and sentimental value to most of the items in her home and that getting rid of them feels like losing a part of herself.

Throughout the episode, we see the emotional toll that hoarding can take on an individual and their loved ones. The family's relationships are strained, and the clutter has made it difficult for them to live comfortably. Through the help of the professional organizer and the support of her family, Louise takes steps towards decluttering her home and improving her relationships.

"Holding Mom Hostage" is a poignant episode that sheds light on how hoarding can consume an individual's life and affect the lives of those around them. The episode emphasizes the importance of seeking help and having a support system to work towards a healthier and clutter-free lifestyle.