Growing Up in Stage 5 Hoarder Home

#foryou #podcast

In todays episode, Summer, a CPTSD survivor and advocate who grew up in extreme neglect inside a stage 4–5 hoarder home walks us through her childhood which was marked by emotional and sexual abuse, food insecurity, and long periods without basic necessities—alongside severe animal hoarding and cruelty.
After more than 20 years of silence, Summer spoke up and helped shut down her parents’ backyard breeding operation, giving a voice to animals and children who were never protected.

Connect with Summer:

• TikTok: @summerjoy4 (  / summerjoy4  )
• Instagram: @summerjoy.cptsd_survivor (https://www.instagram.com/summerjoy.c...)
• YouTube: SummerJoy4 (   / @summerjoy4  )
• Linktree (all links): linktr.ee/summerjoy4 (https://linktr.ee/summerjoy4?utm_sour...)
• Collaborations/Media: summerjoy.officialmgmt@gmail.com

📚 Hoarding & Trauma Resources
• International OCD Foundation (Hoarding): https://iocdf.org/hoarding
• Children of Hoarders: https://childrenofhoarders.com
• Institute for Challenging Disorganization: https://challengingdisorganization.org
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): https://nami.org
• Hoarding Cleanup Directory: https://hoardingcleanup.com
• Crisis Text Line (24/7, free): https://www.crisistextline.org — text HOME to 741741

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Facebook Support Groups
• Hoarding & Clutter Support Community (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14R1...)
• Adult Children of Hoarders Support (https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BF3...)

💄 Special Thanks
• Makeup: @sophiacranmermua (https://www.instagram.com/sophiacranm...)
• Hair: @jillianiroda (https://www.tiktok.com/@jillianiroda?...)

Time Stamps:
00:00:00 — What is it like growing up in a stage 4–5 hoarder home?
00:02:41 — Why doesn’t cleaning ever solve hoarding disorder?
00:04:05 — How does extreme animal hoarding affect a child’s hygiene and safety?
00:05:32 — What is it like living with 20+ animals inside one home?
00:07:09 — Why is it dangerous for children to confront hoarder parents?
00:08:30 — Is hoarding usually driven by one parent more than the other?
00:10:23 — Why does school become a child’s only escape from a toxic home?
00:12:26 — Why are children coached to lie to CPS and authority figures?
00:14:49 — How do toxic parents convince kids that speaking up will make life worse?
00:16:47 — Why do adults outside the home fail to intervene in obvious neglect?
00:18:43 — How does fraud and illegal behavior hide inside hoarding households?
00:21:21 — What is it like never being taught basic hygiene as a child?
00:24:03 — Is hoarding really about poverty or about control?
00:29:28 — Why do fresh starts never fix hoarding behavior?
00:32:29 — How do teachers realize children are living without electricity?
00:36:13 — How does hypervigilance develop in abusive homes?
00:41:10 — How does hoarding blur the line between neglect and abuse?
00:46:50 — How does growing up around infestation affect OCD and eating habits later?
00:52:48 — What happens when families steal electricity to hide neglect?
00:55:04 — What happens when CPS finally removes a child from a hoarder home?
01:22:36 — What does it feel like begging for a safe place to sleep as a teenager?
01:23:38 — Why do abused children feel safer in unsafe homes?
01:24:43 — Why are children blamed for speaking out against mentally ill parents?
01:30:59 — How does growing up in hoarding influence college and career decisions?
01:32:27 — What happens when you leave home but don’t know basic life skills?
01:33:20 — How do survivors learn cleanliness and routines as adults?
02:09:15 — How does domestic violence overlap with hoarding disorder?
02:10:14 — Why does guilt keep adult children tied to toxic parents?
02:11:34 — What happens when children call CPS on their own parents?
02:18:47 — How does surviving hoarding change how you view family forever?
02:26:12 — What does healing look like after growing up in extreme neglect?
02:48:10 — What would you say to a child currently living in a hoarder home?

If you have a unique story you'd like to share on the podcast, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ZiHgdoK4PLRAddiB9
or send an email to wereallinsanepodcast@gmail.com