Ep 3. Paul

The Hoarders season 13 episode 3 titled "Paul" follows the story of a middle-aged man who hoards anything from empty food containers to outdated newspapers. The episode starts with a preview of Paul's house, which is overfilled with stuff, making it hard for him to move around. The camera crew interviews Paul's family, including his wife and adult children, who express their concern about his hoarding behavior and how it's affecting their lives.

Throughout the episode, we see the hoarding in Paul's home, where every room is packed with clutter, including the garage, where Paul often stays. The hoarding behavior has transformed the once-beautiful house into a trash heap, loaded with garbage and debris. Paul's wife talks about how she wanted to divorce him because of his obsession with hoarding. She reveals how Paul would get angry and upset whenever she tried to clean their house and how she had given up trying to change him.

The camera crew shows the audience how Paul's hoarding has impacted his life outside of his home, including his ability to find and keep a job. We see Paul struggling to maintain stable employment because he gets obsessively attached to his work equipment and won't let go. Paul's wife talks about how they had to move to a smaller home because of his hoarding behavior, which made it harder for their adult children to visit them.

The episode also highlights the emotional toll Paul's hoarding has on his family and loved ones. Paul's children talk about how hard it was to grow up in a hoarder's home and how they had to learn to hide their shame from friends and classmates. Their mother seeks help from the Hoarders team in cleaning out the house, hoping to get her husband the help he needs.

The Hoarders team includes Dr. Robin Zasio, a licensed therapist who approaches hoarding as a mental illness, and Matt Paxton, a professional organizer. They work with Paul and his family through tough confrontations and challenges to clear the clutter and get Paul the help he needs to overcome his hoarding behavior.

The team helps Paul identify his hoarding triggers and work through them. Dr. Zasio provides insights into how Paul's past experiences, such as losing his parents, contributed to his hoarding behavior. Matt Paxton, on the other hand, helps Paul understand the practical steps he can take to declutter his home and maintain a clean space.

Towards the end of the episode, we see Paul making progress towards overcoming his hoarding behavior, with a team of professionals helping him along the way. By the end, the team and Paul's family have emptied out his home of all the excess clutter and set up a clean living space in which he can now move freely and enjoy his life. The episode closes with Paul expressing his gratitude for the help he's received and the renewed hope for his future.

Overall, "Paul" is a heartwarming yet intense episode that offers a glimpse into the difficult lives of hoarders and their families. Through the story of one man's struggle to overcome this compulsion, we get to see the power of teamwork and how therapy and practical steps can help individuals overcome this debilitating addiction. It's a story of hope that serves as a reminder that with the right support and guidance, anyone can overcome the disease of hoarding and lead a healthier and happier life.