A hoarding disorder is where a person collects an excessive amounts of items and stores them usually in their home. They can acquire vast amounts of items which may result in a collection of what has become an unmanageable amount of clutter. The items themselves may be of no monetary value but the person can not let these go.

Hoarding disorders are challenging to treat as the person involved may not see it as a problem. Plus they may have little awareness of its effects on their life or their loved ones lives. The person, when they realise they have a problem, may then be reluctant in seeking help as they feel ashamed, humiliated or guilty about it.

It is very important to encourage those with a hoarding problem to seek help. Not just for health and safety reasons but also as their problem can be related to other issues as well.

Loneliness and possible mental health problems often go hand in hand in this situation. Not to mention this isn’t a problem that will go away if left untreated. There are often underlying issues involved.

What are the symptoms of hoarding disorder?

Some typical symptoms:

1. Keep or collect items that may have little or no monetary value.
2. Find it hard to categorise or organise items.
3. Difficulties making decisions.
4. Struggle to manage everyday tasks e.g. cooking, cleaning and paying bills.
5. May have become extremely attached to items.
6. Refuses to let anyone touch or borrow the items.
7. May have poor relationships with family or friends.

Hoarding can start in teenage years. But becomes more noticeable with age. It affects around 1 or 2 people in every 100.

Typical items people may hoard:

1. newspapers and magazines
2. books
3. clothes
4. leaflets and letters
5. bills and receipts
6. containers, plastic bags and cardboard boxes
7. household supplies
8. animals, which they may not be able to look after properly
9. data collection has become common also. This is where someone stores huge amounts of electronic data and emails that they’re extremely reluctant to delete.

Hoarding is considered a significant problem if:

The amount of clutter interferes with everyday living. The person may become unable to use their kitchen or bathroom and cannot access rooms in their home.

The clutter is causing significant distress or negatively affecting the quality of life of the person or their family. For example, they become upset if someone tries to clear the clutter and their relationships suffers as a result.

Why Someone May Hoard?

This is not fully understood and may be the result of other issues. Such as mobility, where the person has no help in clearing out their clutter. Or learning disabilities or mental health problems such as:

1. Severe depression
2. Anxiety
3. Dementia
4. Psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia
5. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

But sometimes hoarding is a condition in itself and may be a result of  self-neglect. These people are also likely to:

1. Live alone
2. Be unmarried
3. They could have had a deprived childhood
4. The person may have a poor relationship with other members of their family
5. There could be a family history of hoarding
6. The person may also have grown up in a cluttered home
7. Never learned to prioritise and sort items

Some of these people affected may hold strong beliefs such as: “I may need this someday” or “If I buy this, it will make me happy”. Others may be struggling to cope with a stressful life event or the death of a loved one.

It has to be remembered that attempts to discard things often bring up very strong emotions. The objects often have a strong sentimental value not often evident to others. The result of throwing something out can feel overwhelming. So any treatment will need to take this into account.

What’s The Difference Between Hoarding And Collecting?

Many of us collect items and this is not considered a problem. So what is the difference? Well a collector usually organises their collection and makes it easily accessible. While a hoard is usually very disorganised, takes up a lot of room and makes rooms and items inaccessible to themselves and others.

Why Hoarding Disorders Are A Problem?

Some of the problems associated with hoarding can include (other than mental health).

1. It can take over your life. Making it very difficult for you and family members to get around their house.
2. It can cause work performance issues.
3. Personal hygiene suffers
4. Relationships problems.
5. It can cause a reluctance or inability to have visitors or even allow essential repairs to be completed.
6. It can cause isolation and loneliness.
7. There can be a fire risk and block exits in the event of a fire.
8. It can cause trips and falls. Or items can fall over or collapse on people if kept in large piles.

How To Help A Family Member Who Is Hoarding?

Remember you cannot do this alone. Hoarding disorder requires professional treatment and you will need help and support also. 

1. If you think a family member or someone you know has a hoarding disorder, try to persuade them to see their GP and get referred for counselling. It may not be easy, as someone who hoards might not think they need help.
2. Try to be sensitive about the issue and emphasise your concerns for their health and wellbeing.
3. Reassure them that nobody is going to go into their home and throw everything out.
4. It is  not a good idea to get extra storage space or call in someone to clear the rubbish away. As this will not solve the problem and the clutter often quickly builds up again.
5. Remember you will need help too if you live with a hoarder. Access counselling and support from your GP.

How Hoarding Disorders Are Treated?

Treatment can be difficult but not impossible. It normally it involves cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and if necessary antidepressants. During therapy the therapist will help the person understand the underlying issues. Plus support the person to clear away the clutter. But the therapist will not clear out the clutter for the person.

It is important that the person takes responsibility for decluttering their home and is not forced to do so. Regular therapy sessions over a long period of time may be necessary and include some home-based sessions working directly on the clutter.

This will require motivation, commitment and patience, over a period of many months to achieve the treatment goal. This goal is to improve the person’s decision-making, organisational skills, help them overcome urges to save and, ultimately clear the clutter, one small step at a time.

Treatment of other, if any, mental health conditions will also be treated at this time. At times the other conditions may need to be treated first before the hoarding disorder.

Work With Me.

Remember you are allowed to ask for support. No one is an island. If you need extra support then you can also work with me. We all struggle with stress and overwhelm from time to time. If you find this has become a problem for you and you’d like some support then schedule an appointment with me.