Compulsive Hoarding

It is believed that compulsive hoarding affects up to two million people in the United States alone. It is considered a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and is often found in patients with other diseases, including dementia, mental retardation, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and anorexia. Compulsive hoarding involves an individual’s uncontrollable need to acquire an excessive number of objects that may seem useless or of no value. This includes compulsive shopping, extreme collecting, or acquisition of free things like free newspapers, magnets, pens, and/or junk mail.

The behavior of acquiring and saving objects is also called “pathological collecting”. It is not uncommon for people who hoard to completely fill their homes with clutter so that the living space is unusable. Two types of saving are seen with those who are compulsive hoarders. One type is instrumental saving. Hoarders of this type believe that their possessions fulfill a specific desire or purpose. They believe that their compulsive hoarding is sensible and beneficial. For instance, these types of hoarders might believe that the items they are hoarding are valuable and will be sold for profit in the future. The reality is that the items they collect are never actually sold. The other type of hoarder is one who is a sentimental saver. They believe that their possessions represent extensions of the self. Regardless of the type of saver, certain compulsions lie in most hoarders. Hoarding is an obsession that develops due to certain excessive concerns like that certain objects cannot be discarded because they might be needed later. Another trait of hoarders involves severe indecisiveness over which items should be kept versus which ones should be discarded. The individual cannot make up their mind, so the decision is avoided and nothing is thrown out.
One of the most challenging aspects of compulsive hoardingis that oftentimes hoarders do not recognize that they are impaired, living in hazardous conditions, and that their obsessions are out of control. In most cases, professional help is sought by a concerned family member, a frustrated landlord, or the Board of Health. The most effective way to treat compulsive hoarding syndrome is medication and/or cognitive-behavior therapy. Compared to other individuals with other forms of OCD, compulsive hoarders tend to experience more anxiety and depression and greater social dysfunction.

It can be difficult for family members to deal with a compulsive hoarder that need help with hoarding. If you have a compulsive hoarder in your family, the best thing to do is to be understanding. Family members should help the person recognize that their actions are inconsistent with their greater goals or values. Ask the person valuable questions like “What’s really important to you in life?” or “How would you like your life to be five years from now?” Do not argue, threaten, or blame the person you are trying to help. Allow them to build trust in you. After several conversations you might begin to notice that the person is more open to admitting that there is a problem, and you might be on your way to getting the individual professional help to change their compulsive hoarding habits.

Compulsive Hoarding

Compulsive hoarding