What are hoarding disorders?
A hoarding disorder is when a person has trouble managing a lot of items all at once. It causes them distress if they are unable to organise their stuff as there would be a lot of clutter. Their possessions may be of value to them. Doing so can cause distress and affect the person’s mental health negatively.
People who have a hoarding disorder feel as though their items and valuables are piling up and would not lessen. This is because they feel that there is too many unnecessary items or junk placed around the house which can be bad for mental health. As a result, this creates tension, worry and nervousness.
People with a hoarding disorder may make hasty decisions that can increase the pileup of their items and valuables that making it difficult to get rid of. Hoarding can involve the selling or buying of a lot of goods or acquiring a massive amount of wealth. It puts people in a situation of whether their belongings are necessary. The mental health condition can lead to serious physical and mental stress.
Hoarding disorders are a type of disorder that can interfere with your life in many ways affecting your personal relationships, social life, and family/work lives.
Other items of hoarding may include household items, keys, clothing, letters etc. Anything that is important to the person is an item of hoarding.
Symptoms and causes of hoarding
There are different types of hoarding that can have both psychological and physical effects on an individual. There are many factors that contribute to the downfall of someone’s mental health. Such examples include:
- Stress of throwing out valuable possessions
- Constant worry and tension
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Not letting anyone touch your things
- Not able to live in open spaces due to clutter
These symptoms can change a person causing them a great deal of tension. There can be a difference in behaviour and attitude causing the person to become sensitive.
Causes of Hoarding
The main cause for hoarding is unknown and can still contain risks. These risks can damage a person’s mental health to the point that can make it difficult for them to live.
- traumatic event
- Anxiety
- Purchasing unnecessary items
- Stress or tension that involves depression
- Unable to let possessions go
These symptoms can relate to the condition of a person. Difficulty clearing huge amounts of clutter or coping with a disability may make individuals feel useless as they are unable to manage or organise their clutter in a neat manner. Other people with dementia or memory loss can find it difficult to remember where they put their items or get rid of them.
Mental health problems associated with hoarding involves severe depression, psychotic disorders, and OCD. Not treating these symptoms can worsen the condition even further making it hard to cope with as it can be too much for some people with hoarding to deal with.
According to further research, hoarding relies on self-neglect. This has a negative effect on the individual because they are more likely to live alone, avoid getting married or avoid socialising with others.
Hoarding involves more memorable items such as when the individual remembers someone through a bracelet or chain or through a stressful event such as the death of someone dear to them.
Nonetheless, throwing away items can bring up strong negative emotions that often come with a sense of regret as the individual is constantly worried that they may have thrown something away that is of value.
However, it can sometimes ease the tension as someone may feel that their items may contain no value which is not needed anymore therefore, they throw it away knowing that what they are doing is the right decision.
Signs of hoarding disorders
A person’s behaviour and attitude determine whether they may have a hoarding disorder. This could be because they may show feelings and emotions that involve hoarding. This could be because they may collect random items such as bags, junk mail or items that may be used for repair.
Anybody that has a hoarding disorder would have the following behaviours such as difficulty making decisions, the struggle of managing everyday tasks, not being able to pay the bills, unable to do the things they truly like to do and poor relationships.
Hoarding can occur in adults, teenagers, and children. It can become easier to assess over time due to age. Many people may find that hoarding is a big problem when it comes to older ages, but it can happen to anyone.
Some people may hoard animals or data that may be sensitive or common. This is because the person may feel there is important information that they are unable to delete.
Problems with hoarding disorders
Hoarding can affect day to day activities such as work performance or personal hygiene. This can deter them from completing other duties and put all their focus on hoarding. Guests or salespeople are unable to visit hoarders due to the distrust and constant nervousness of their valuables becoming stolen. This again results in loneliness.
Hoarding can allow a person to live in unhealthy and unhygienic conditions attracting insects and bugs. This could be due to the ongoing behaviour of not doing anything about it other than keeping their possessions safe.
Hoarding disorders can involve signs that show the person has an underlying condition such as depression, anxiety, or dementia.
How hoarding disorder is treated
Hoarding orders can be addressed in different ways. They can include cognitive therapy and medicines such as antidepressants. For some people, getting help may not be easy because they may feel nervous or afraid to ask.
On the other hand, the most effective treatment would be therapy because it has proven to work on individuals who are finding it difficult to cope with the condition. The therapist would use a slight careful approach instead of asking a lot of questions that may offend the person.
Therapists would first help the person understand why they clutter and how they feel when throwing things away as well as ask them why they clutter.
The therapist would give full support and guidance on how people can de-clutter making it easier for them not to stress or worry when handling and managing items. Hoarding can be managed correctly if the therapist offers useful advice and provides both practical tasks and plans that could be used to help clear the clutter from their household.
