A disorder in which people cannot or have difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions because they believe they need to save them is called Hoarding disorder. Usually, people feel stressed when it comes to get rid of certain items, which leads to an increased amount of items, regardless of their actual value.
This condition often causes tight living conditions (such as narrow pathways through stacks of clutter). Commonly, stairways, desks, stoves, sinks, countertops, and other surfaces are piled with stuff. Therefore, people cannot use certain areas for their intended purpose (for instance it is not possible to cook in the kitchen). However, the clutter may be stored outside the house when there is no more space in the home. These include garages, vehicles, yards, and others.
While some people experience a mild form of this disorder and do not experience any problems, others may experience a severe form that usually negatively affects their daily routine.
In most cases, people with hoarding disorder do not understand they have a problem. Hence, treating them may be difficult. However, intensive treatment can help you understand how behaviors and beliefs change so you can live a safer and more enjoyable life.
Symptoms
Commonly, people experience symptoms of hoarding disorder in their teenage or early adult years. The primary symptom of people with this condition is saving too many objects, which finally leads to a buildup of clutter in living spaces and it becomes challenging to get rid of them.
Getting and holding useless items continues when people grow as well. However, in middle age symptoms usually become severe and become significantly difficult to treat. Those who experience hoarding disorder may develop a private behavior over time including avoiding having family, friends, or repair workers in the home. Check some hoarding disorder symptoms below:
- Keeping a high amount of objects that usually they do not need at this moment and do not have space for them.
- It is challenging to throw away the items despite their low value
- Thoughts of getting rid of these items cause distress
- Clutter buildup until the rooms cannot be used
- Trouble with organizing and planning
- Such people usually try to be perfect and avoid or delay decisions
Commonly, a huge number of items that people do not want to get rid of often results in:
- The amount of items becomes as high as you cannot use rooms or not being sleep in the bed.
- The buildup of trash or food
- Trouble functioning or distress
- Problems with other people who try to remove or reduce clutter from the home
- Relationship problems because people with hoarding disorder usually avoid social activities
- Challenging organizing items
- In some cases, losing important items in the clutter
People with this disorder usually save items because:
- They think all items are unique and can be used in the future
- Emotional connections with items that remind of certain happy times
- Such people feel comfortable with these items
- They do not want to waste anything
In addition, there is a difference between collecting and hoarding disorder. Those who have collections including stamps, model cars, or something else often carefully search out specific items and organize them. In most cases, even big collections are not cluttered and do not cause problems with daily routine or distress.
Hoarding Animals
There are people who hoard animals and usually collect dozens and even hundreds of pets. In most cases, these animals are not cared for properly because of their large amount. As a result, the health and safety of the person and animals are at increased risk of different health problems due to unsanitary conditions.
It is advised to see a doctor if you or a loved person have hoarding disorder symptoms.
Healthcare providers do not understand the exact cause of this condition but they think genetics, brain function, and stressful events could play a role.
Risk Factors
In most people, hoarding disorder begins between 15-19 years old. However, this condition tends to become worse over time. Most commonly, younger and older adults experience this disorder. Check below some factors that may increase the risk of developing hoarding disorder:
- Personality – Different people with hoarding disorder have behavior that involves trouble making decisions, organization, and attention.
- Family history – If you have a family member or a sibling with a hoarding disorder your risk increases too.
- Stressful events – Sometimes, people may develop this condition due to certain stressful life events that are difficult to overcome. These include the death of a loved one, losing possessions in a fire, divorce, and others.
What Are The Possible Complications of Hoarding Disorder?
These include:
- Loneliness
- Social isolation
- Family conflicts
- Injuries that may be caused by falling items
- Elevated risk of falls
- A fire hazard
- Poor work performance
- Legal problems (such as eviction)
- Unhealthy living conditions increase the risk of certain diseases
Other Mental Disorders
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Prevention
However, there is no way to prevent this mental condition because experts do not fully understand the causes. However, if you notice that you have this disorder you should visit a doctor. Treatment usually begins as with other mental health problems.
Diagnosis
Usually, people seek treatment for other mental disorders (including depression, anxiety, or relationship problems) rather than for hoarding disorder. Mental health providers usually diagnose this condition by performing a mental health examination including questions about your well-being, symptoms, and medical history.
Doctors may also ask you permission to talk with other people including family and friends to get more information that may confirm the condition. In addition, pictures and videos from living spaces and storage areas also may help to confirm hoarding disorder.
Treatment
In most cases, it is difficult to treat this mental disorder because most of them do not recognize the problems caused by hoarding in their lives and believe they do not require any treatment. This occurs especially when the possessions of animals offer comfort and if the animals are taken away it may lead to emotional problems (such as frustration and anger).
Commonly, doctors prescribe cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for people with hoarding disorder. It is considered the most effective treatment that involves learning skills on how to manage behaviors and beliefs associated with keeping the clutter. However, sometimes, doctors prescribe medications to treat anxiety or depression. Medications usually are taken along with CBT.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
This is the main treatment for people with hoarding disorder and mental health providers help them to learn the following things. For example:
- How to find and challenge thoughts and beliefs associated with saving objects
- Techniques that help to resist the urges to obtain more items
- How to organize things that you should throw away including those that you can donate
- Coping skills and decision-making improvements
- Physicians may help you remove clutter in the home
- Learn about opportunities to join in social activities and how to reduce isolation
- During treatment, people also learn different ways how to increase their desire for changes
- Regular visits are recommended to help you maintain healthy habits
Furthermore, treatment for hoarding disorder also involves regular help from friends, family, and others to get rid of clutters. It is true, especially for older people that it is difficult to keep up the desire to make changes.
Medications
The primary treatment for people with hoarding disorder is CBT and nowadays there are no medicines available for this mental disorder. Healthcare providers may prescribe medicines to treat other mental conditions (including anxiety, depression, or others) that are taken along with CBT. Commonly, they prescribe antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hoarding disorder stages?
Doctors classify this condition into 5 stages. These include:
- Minimal clutter
- Mild clutter
- Moderate clutter
- Severe clutter
- Extreme clutter
What is the best treatment for hoarding disorder?
Healthcare professionals usually treat this mental health problem with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Sometimes, they can prescribe some medicines along with CBT for other mental diseases (such as depression). Do not take any medicines without a doctor’s approval because it may lead to unpleasant results.
What are the main hoarding disorder symptoms?
- Unusable spaces due to clutter
- Distrust other people if they are touching possessions
- Getting and keeping items despite not having space for them
- Intense stress when it comes to throwing away these objects
If you or a loved one experiences any of the previous symptoms or other mental health problems, immediately contact a healthcare professional. Ask your doctor if you have additional questions.