Anyone that has watched “Hoarders†knows how deeply emotional the program can get at times. Many of the people profiled are so sick that it’s a supreme challenge to get through to them so they can save their lives and begin anew.
This type of mental disorder by itself is tough enough to deal with, but when patients don’t hoard items, they horde living things, it can become even more difficult endeavor to get help with.
The premise of Animal Planet’s “Confessions: Animal Hoarding†deals with this situation head-on, as people must find a way to get rid of their animals and salvage what is left of their homes and life. Seeing the catastrophic effects of these situations, such as homes being covered in feces and the actual hoarders smelling so bad that they lose their jobs, is heart wrenching. In one episode, a woman’s husband is forced to move out of his own home due to a breathing problem while she stays in the house, unable to deal with the problem.
In the same episode, a man that owns over 60 chickens is forced to come to grips with his addiction. Seeing the way he interacts with his family about this problem, going from a smart, witty man to an obsessive child makes for some interesting television. Given this, “Confessions: Animal Hoarding†is different enough from other shows on Animal Planet to make it a worthwhile watch.
Disgusting and at times scary, the show doesn’t pull any punches in depicting its subjects. Showing the depths this condition plays on the psyche, many of the people profiled have no idea that they have a problem until its too late. When they finally understand what they’re doing to themselves, their homes and their loved ones, the show truly begins to take shape.
The way the families and friends are affected by this situation will remind many of the show “Intervention†and for good reason. Created by the producers of “Intervention,†the show has a very similar feel, as the profile of the hoarder is shown first through interview of the hoarder themselves and then of friends and family. After that, everything comes together, as hoarder, friends and family try to work together to help solve the problem.
More often than not, the show ends positively and the before and after of the situation is enough to induce tears. As a result, it’s an educational expose that is as powerful as any well-written fictional drama.
While it may not be a show for everyone, as the scenes of filthy homes and lost souls are enough to make some squirm, it’s a reality show that is about helping people and not watching them destroy themselves while we watch, like most reality television is today.
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