A Place in the Sun star Jasmine Harman has admitted she was “ashamed” of her mum’s hoarding.
The 45-year-old TV star was terrified of people finding out about her mum’s affliction when she was growing up, as she couldn’t discard or throw out possessions regardless of their value leading to them building up at home.
Speaking to The Sun, Jasmine said: “I have spent much of my life feeling ashamed and embarrassed, but it is nothing to be ashamed of.
“I thought it was a lifestyle choice. I thought it was controllable. I now know it’s not a lifestyle choice. My mum isn’t lazy. She can’t help it.”
Her mum Vasoulla is now seeing a therapist in order to help her combat the condition, which she believes had been triggered by the murder of Jasmine’s grandfather.
(Image: Daily Record)
Her grandad Evangelos was killed at the age of 32 during a time of political unrest between the Left and Right in his home country of Cyprus.
Vasoulla and her mum – Jasmine’s grandma – fled the island shortly after he was shot dead.
He remained in hospital for 13 days before he passed away, and nobody was ever charged for the crime.
(Image: BBC)
Her grandmother remained by his bedside for those 13 days, and, assuming he was on the path to recovery, finally went home only for Evangelos to die the following day.
Vasoulla explained: “It was a trauma and it triggered me to want safety and security. Almost all cases of hoarding disorder can be connected to a trauma or loss.”
She said it was definitely a struggle to stop the hoarding as it acted as a “barricade” to make her feel safe.
(Image: jasmineharman/Instagram)
It began when Jasmine was just six years old, with the TV star admitting she strived to keep it a “secret” for much of her life, but that it also led to her incredible career as A Place in the Sun presenter.
Now Jasmine displays it proudly on her social media pages, with her Instagram bio reading: “A Place in the Sun, daughter of a hoarder, IVF mummy”, as well as describing her vegan diet.
She also founded Help For Hoarders after her mum appeared in the brave BBC documentaries My Hoarder Mum And Me and Britain’s Biggest Hoarders.
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Writing about the project’s launch in March, Jasmine said: “I felt compelled to set up [the website] because by sharing our own experiences of mum’s chronic hoarding, and the shame and isolation which came with it, we lifted the lid on a very secretive and misunderstood condition.
“Thousands of people reached out to me, and I wanted to do something to offer support to others affected.
“I am so very proud of my mum and my whole family for being brave enough to share our story and I hope it has helped and inspired others,” Jasmine said on Instagram.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
