subject: Compulsive Hoarding Information [print this page] Compulsive Hoarding Information Compulsive Hoarding Information
Compulsive hoarding syndrome is the term used to describe a psychiatric condition in which the sufferer or hoarder excessively accumulates things in their homes to the point that their living space is cramped and becomes virtually unusable for its originally intended purpose. Also known as pathological collecting, this condition affects about 1% of the population in Britain and two million people in the United States - it is therefore a problem that is more common than most people think. And it is potentially hazardous as well.
Things that are hoarded include - soap, detergents, salt and other items that can be bought in large quantities; inexpensive but practical things like elastic bands and plastic bags; used wrappers, empty lighters, bottles and other items of no apparent value; items that they think may be of use in the future but which of course never get used at all and books, magazines, bills, newspapers or other printed materials, which may be rare and are bought with the intention of reading them one day. It is not unusual for the amount of clutter present to fill the available living space literally from floor to ceiling that it becomes virtually impossible to move around.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) patients such as Alzheimer's, dementia and anorexia sufferers tend to be more prone to becoming compulsive hoarders even though other people can also be susceptible. Usually professional help has to be sought to deal with the issues surrounding this disorder.
Compulsive hoarding should not be confused with cluttering. Even though they may appear to exhibit similar traits they are indeed very different. As opposed to hoarding as discussed above, cluttering affects millions of people and as such is more widespread. The clutterer accumulates things without giving it much thought, but will clean up their mess without having to resort to the intervention of a professional if they find sufficiently motivated to do so. Also the clutterer will usually do something before the mess causes them any form of distress and becomes a hazard.
Apart from the inability to use their living space adequately, hoarding has been known to have other effects on the hoarder such as greater susceptibility to illness due to unhygienic conditions caused by the presence of pests, rodents and rotten foods to mention a few; some hoarders have been known to be trapped in their mess for days on end with some even losing their lives as a result. Other effects include low self esteem and poor social skills, with hoarders too embarrassed to invite people into their homes.
Getting help for the compulsive hoarder is usually a difficult task. The reason for this is they hardly seem to realise they have a problem and until they are willing to acknowledge it, getting help may yield little or no result. A lot of the time, help is bought by concerned loved ones, disgruntled landlords or unhappy neighbours alerting the local authorities to unpleasant smells or the presence of rodents and other pests. Even though compulsive hoarding is a type OCD, the usual medications that are administered in other OCD cases appear to be ineffective with the compulsive hoarder. However more success seems to have been achieved with cognitive behavioural therapy.
