/Trash "besieging the city", residents are anxious/ /Ms. Ban is clearing up the trash/ City Evening News report: The collected garbage piled up like a small mountain, surrounding the entire building, and all the neighbors passing by feel disgusted. As the weather becomes increasingly hot, the neighbors worry that these piles of garbage will breed bacteria. However, facing the accusations from her neighbors, Ms. Ban, who lives in Building 36 of the Songliao Dormitory in Lvyuan District, Changchun City, still insists on collecting more trash. It was learned that Ms. Ban has a monthly pension that is sufficient for her daily expenses, and picking up trash is merely a way for her to vent her frustration. In everyone's eyes, she is just an odd person.
/Unfortunate Experiences >> Husband died unexpectedly when her son was ten months old
Ms. Ban lives on the first floor. She opened a small door at the balcony position. By going out through this small door, she can directly walk to the yard filled with garbage. On the morning of April 29, Ms. Ban had just finished sorting the beverage bottles she picked up and planned to go inside to rest for a while. When she saw the journalist interviewing, she pushed the window open to inquire about their purpose. After some conversation, Ms. Ban stood by the window and told the journalist about the frustrations she had accumulated over the years.
"I have never revealed my innermost feelings to others because some people don't understand me; they are all here to mock me." At 58 years old, Ms. Ban looks as if she has good skin. When she turned around, the journalist noticed a deep scar on her left cheek. "This scar was inflicted by my first husband. At the time, I refused to date him anymore, so he went crazy and came to my house to cause trouble. He even took a kitchen knife and injured me. He wanted to make sure I couldn't get married, so I had no choice but to marry him," Ms. Ban said. However, their happiness didn’t last long. When Ms. Ban's son was just ten months old, her husband was crushed to death by a crane in the factory.
/Heavy Blow >> Second husband also died of cancer
Afterwards, Ms. Ban lived alone with her child. Ms. Ban said, "When I was very young, my father passed away, and my mother also died when I was in my twenties. I thought finding a husband would give me some support, but I never expected such an accident to happen." When Ms. Ban was in her thirties, someone introduced her to a divorced colleague at the factory, and they got married. "At that time, I didn't love him, but considering how difficult it is for a woman to live alone with a child, I married him. Since he had a daughter with his ex-wife, after we were married, there was always a feeling that he was hiding something from me financially, but I still depended on him," Ms. Ban said.
However, just when Ms. Ban planned to spend the rest of her life with him, her second husband was diagnosed with cancer. "At that time, I told him that since we have two houses, let's sell one of them to treat your illness," but Ms. Ban's suggestion was not accepted by her second husband. What Ms. Ban didn't expect was that when her second husband was beyond saving, he proposed divorce and then moved back to his ex-wife’s house. All of this was another heavy blow to Ms. Ban. "Later, after my husband passed away, the house went to his ex-wife. I lived with him for 13 years, devotedly taking care of him, but in the end, I got nothing," Ms. Ban said.
/Exhausted Body and Mind >> Relieving inner pressure by picking up garbage
After experiencing two marriages and losing both husbands, Ms. Ban completely lost hope in life. "I used to work at the textile factory, where I was the team leader and even received commendations as a role model. But in life, I feel like I've failed," Ms. Ban said. When the factory's business wasn't doing well, Ms. Ban started picking up items to exchange for money to survive. But starting from 2006, she felt immense inner pressure. "Whenever someone criticized me or I encountered troubles, I wanted to pick up garbage. And whenever someone scolded me for picking up garbage, I developed a rebellious mentality, becoming even crazier. I picked up whatever I saw, and it reached a point where I couldn't control myself," Ms. Ban pointed to the garbage-filled yard. Ms. Ban said that seeing the garbage she picked up made her feel better.
/Revealing Her Heart >> Actually wants to talk to someone
When the neighbors expressed dissatisfaction with Ms. Ban's actions, she also felt troubled. "Everyone has dignity, and I want to be respected too. Hearing so many people criticize me makes me uncomfortable. But if I don't do this, I feel empty inside. This is my only way to vent." Ms. Ban didn't dare to confide in her relatives. "In fact, I really want to talk to someone, but there's no one like that around me," Ms. Ban said.
Ms. Ban's son works hard every day, but he visits her every week. "In fact, sometimes my son doesn't fully understand me either. He advises me not to pick up garbage anymore. My health isn't good, and carrying heavy bags while picking up garbage on the street is exhausting," Ms. Ban often suffers from insomnia, sleeping only three to four hours a night. Whenever she recalls the misfortunes she has experienced over the years, she feels even sadder and sometimes cries out of sadness.
/Future Plans >> Stop picking up garbage, want to see a psychologist
Because the amount of garbage Ms. Ban picked up was too much, nearby residents worried about potential fire hazards. Regarding this, Ms. Ban said, "I am actively dealing with it. Sometimes I don't sleep at night just to sort out the garbage in the yard. Now, most of it has already been sold. Since this garbage has been accumulated for many years, it will take some time to deal with it all." Ms. Ban receives more than 1200 yuan per month in retirement benefits, which is enough for her daily expenses. Even without picking up garbage, she could live comfortably.
Regarding whether she would remarry, Ms. Ban said that after experiencing unfortunate marriages, she no longer plans to remarry and intends to live alone. She has also realized her own issues and plans to adjust her mindset and then consult a psychologist.
Regarding Ms. Ban's act of piling up garbage in front of the building, Director Xu from the Wanfu Community overseeing the dormitory building said that she has been picking up garbage for four to five years. Recently, they had a conversation with her. Currently, they are giving her some time to clean up the garbage herself. If she cannot clear it out, the community will collaborate with the street office to remove the garbage.
/Expert >> This is a manifestation of fetishism Requires more care from family members
Regarding Ms. Ban's situation of picking up garbage to relieve her inner distress, recently, Director Zhang Zhenhuan, a member of the Jilin Psychological Counseling Association, conducted an analysis. Director Zhang said that Ms. Ban's actions represent a fetish for garbage, as she feels that collecting garbage brings her happiness. If it is purely a fetish, and it does not affect others, there is nothing wrong with it. However, once the collected garbage piles up like a mountain and affects the lives of those around her, psychological treatment for this condition is necessary.
Director Zhang said that Ms. Ban's experiences are quite pitiful. She has lived alone for a long time and inevitably feels lonely. If the people around her continue to exclude her, it will make her feel even more isolated. Over time, she is prone to depression, which is a dangerous situation. If any problems arise, they may not be noticed by anyone. Additionally, she needs her family to care for her and help her gradually integrate back into social circles, which could help her break the habit of picking up garbage.
(Reported by Journalist Wang Qiuyue, Photographed by Pei Chunlei)