Hoarding: Buried Alive

Compulsive hoarding is a mental illness that causes people to accumulate an excessive amount of clutter within their homes. A look into the lives of two women whose houses, and families, are being overrun by their things.

Extreme hoarders Chris and Laurie are spiraling out of control. Their possessions are destroying their relationships and transforming their homes into virtual prisons. Change won't be easy, but it's their only hope of reclaiming their lives.

A 55-year-old man plans to abandon his hoard only to move back with his mother, a fellow hoarder. A woman's hoard is so severe that she runs the risk of having her house condemned.

Extreme hoarder Mary Thompson is in denial, while Anne Thomas fears she's passing down her compulsion to son Brendan. For decades they've had trouble discarding their belongings but will they finally gain clarity and get the help they so desperately need?

Wanda and Ray are extreme hoarders destined to lose their homes and live in isolation if they don't stop surrounding themselves with stuff. Making the change will be emotional and filled with anguish, but they know that time is running out.

Two women who struggle with compulsive hoarding must get a handle on the piles of possessions that plague them. They have no choice but to ask for help -- or they risk losing everything that matters to them and their families.

For Charlotte and Shelley, hoarding is both a comfort and a curse. If these two women can't find the strength to change, they risk being condemned to a lonely life where possessions replace people.

Two women must get their compulsive hoarding under control or face eviction and further alienation from their families. One lives amid personal treasures, and the other amid a mountain of trash.

For compulsive hoarders Cheryl and Michelle, their possessions are crowding out the people they love most. If they don't change their behavior soon, they may find themselves living alone, buried by their belongings.

A family of four is on the brink of collapse under the weight of a mother and father's incessant hoarding. Mike is in denial that his addiction to auctions and garage sales has crossed the line into a full-blown compulsion.