Please remember that these people are severely mentally ill. They are not thinking about the world in the same way as most of the rest of us. They need mental health assistance. I am of horribly mixed feelings about these shows. They take mentally ill people and put them on display for the world. These people are in a horrid situation and accept the "help" that is offered because they don't feel they have any other option or they have some mixed up idea about fame/fortune coming from it. The show producers and networks profit off of these people's mental illnesses (yes, these people agree to go on the show. However, they probably aren't REALLY competent to do so). Then, the rest of us watch them and many make judgments about how horrible these people are. Yes, their actions are horrible. However, they aren't coming from people who are "right" in their minds. Please remember that.
I have a close relative who is a true hoarder (possessions, not animals, thankfully). I love her dearly, but she REALLY does not view possessions and life in the same way that a healthy person does -- nor does she recognize that her lifestyle is abnormal. Appears to the world to be a normal person...but those people haven't seen the true situation.
We should have pity on these people, not make fun of them or call them names. Most are truly incapable of understanding their actions (or lack thereof).
