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Compulsive Hoarding and 6 Tips to
Help
By Therese J.
Borchard
Even though
most people lump compulsive hoarding into the same
illness umbrella as obsessive-compulsive disorder,
hoarders actually have different brains. The
brain-imaging research shows that people with compulsive
hoarding have distinct abnormalities in brain function
compared to people with non-hoarding OCD and those with no psychiatric
problem.
According to
Dr. Jack Samuels, Johns Hopkins, Department of
Psychiatry,: “What causes those brain abnormalities
(besides genetics) is still not clear, but compulsive
hoarding can begin after damage from stroke, surgery,
injuries, or infections. In addition, psychology and
environmental factors (e.g. traumatic family
experiences) appear to contribute to abnormal brain
development and function.”
Samuels says
that hoarding belongs to a syndrome which also
includes:
- Indecisiveness
- Perfectionism
- Procrastination
- Avoidance
behaviors
- Difficulty
organizing tasks
And here are
some interesting stats: hoarding obsessions and
compulsions are present in approximately 30 percent of
OCD cases. However, as a group, says Samuels,
OCD-affected individuals with hoarding symptoms have a
more severe illness, a greater prevalence of anxiety
disorders, and a greater prevalence of personality
disorders than people with OCD who don’t have hoarding
symptoms. Hoarders are often less responsive to
treatment than non-hoarding OCD
patients.
Six
anti-clutter strategies for compulsive
hoarders:
- Make
immediate decisions about mail and
newspapers. Go through mail and
newspapers on the day you receive them and throw away
unwanted materials immediately. Don’t leave anything
to be decided on later.
- Think twice
about what you allow into your home.
Wait a couple of days after seeing a new item before
you buy it. And when you do purchase something new,
discard another item you own to make room for
it.
- Set aside 15
minutes a day to declutter. Start
small–with a table, perhaps, or a chair–rather than
tackling the entire, overwhelming house at once. If
you start to feel anxious, take a break and do some
deep-breathing or relaxation
exercises.
- Dispose of
anything you have not used in a year.
That means old clothes, broken items, and craft
projects you’ll never finish. Remind yourself that
many items are easily replaceable if you need them
later.
- Follow the
OHIO rule: Only Handle It Once. If
you pick something up, make a decision then and there
about it, and either put it where it belongs or
discard it. Don’t fall into the trap of moving things
from one pile to another, again and
again.
- Ask for help
if you can’t do it on your own. If
you feel these strategies are impossible to carry out
and you cannot cope with the problem on your own, seek
out a mental health professional.
OCD
and Hoarding
Seminar
featuring Megan O'Bryan,
Ph.D.
Thursday, June
16th
9
am to
Noon
$40
1441 N. Delaware
St.
In Crisis?
Reach Out. Get Help.
Confidential. Wherever You
Are.
24 Hours a Day.
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Depression; Suicide Intervention; Relationship
Issues
Call 251-7575 or
1-800-273-TALK
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