1. What is the definition of compulsive hoarding?
2. What are some of the behaviors associated with hoarding?
3. What causes hoarding?
4. Should I just go in and clean out the home of my loved one who has a hoarding problem?
5. What treatment is available for compulsive hoarding?
What is the definition of compulsive hoarding?
There is a three-part definition to compulsive hoarding behavior:
- It is the accumulation of, and failure to discard, a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value.
- Living spaces become so cluttered that they can’t be used for the activities they were intended for.
- The hoarding behavior causes distress and impaired functioning.
2. What are some of the behaviors associated with hoarding?
- Compulsive buying or collecting free things
- Saving all of these possessions; having great difficulty discarding anything
- Failure to organize or maintain all the possessions
3. What causes hoarding?
While the exact causes of hoarding are unknown, there is evidence that people who hoard have a different way of processing information. They tend to pay attention to all the visual and tactile details of an object, even if it has no apparent value or function – like a bottle cap or an empty carton. They also try to organize their lives visually and spatially rather than categorically. There does seem to be a genetic link because hoarding runs in families. Hoarding may be exacerbated by a traumatic event, such as the death of a loved one or a long illness.
4. Should I just go in and clean out the home of my loved one who has a hoarding problem?
No, it’s never a good idea to organize a clean up without the person’s permission. The results can be traumatic for the person with a hoarding problem; some people have even committed suicide after having their possessions discarded. Many family relationships have been fractured because the hoarder often feels a trust has been broken. At the least, you’ll end up even more frustrated, because the hoarding will continue and the cleaned out areas will fill up quickly. It is better to encourage the person who hoards to seek treatment with the hope that they’ll recognize the problem and learn to modify the behaviors.
5. What treatment is available for compulsive hoarding?
Cognitive behavior therapy is the most common and most successful treatment for hoarding. The therapist works with the person who hoards to help them explore their feelings about their possessions, improve their decision-making skills, learn relaxation techniques, recognize triggers for impulse buying or collecting, and declutter the home with helpful support.
The research is still out regarding medications for hoarding. Certain SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) may be effective in some cases, especially when combined with therapy.
