IT IS shocking that in a First World country like Singapore, there are hoarders who are not only putting their health and that of those around them at risk, but also causing serious social problems in our housing estates ("Pest-infested flat plagues neighbours"; Wednesday).
Hoarding can impair social, occupational and other areas of functioning. Left untreated, this disorder can lead to family strain and conflicts, isolation and loneliness. A hoarding disorder may also be associated with abnormalities of brain function and neuropsychological performance distinct from those seen in people with obsessive compulsive disorder or other disorders.
Hoarders who are obsessed with collecting rubbish and keeping things - which they refuse to part with for decades - will refuse to allow anyone to enter their home, fearing that their things will be taken away. It is a sad state of affairs that a concerned citizen like Ms Nur'Ashikin Zainol had to resort to posting on social media a video of this hoarding problem, to draw attention to the grave situation in Eunos Crescent.
At a time when millions of dollars are being spent on marketing Singapore as a great destination for travellers, such reports do not tie in with Singapore's reputation of being a clean and green city.
Government agencies like the town councils, National Environment Agency and Housing Board, as well as all grassroots leaders, need to learn more about mental health issues that include hoarding disorders.
They need to work closely with the Institute of Mental Health to eradicate hoarding issues in the heartland, some cases of which may not be reported.
Raymond Anthony Fernando
