What Are Hoarding Signs and Symptoms?
Understanding the underlying causes of hoarding will assist you in better understanding the symptoms, locating assistance, and dispelling common misunderstandings.
The majority of us believe we understand what hoarding disorder is. However, unless you’ve directly experienced it, your view is most likely based on anything you’ve seen on television or in the movies, such as the television program “Hoarding,” which is based on the phenomenon. The underlying psychological side of hoarding is not well represented in popular media.
Aside from that, the way hoarding is portrayed in the media has the potential to stigmatize persons who suffer from this mental health disorder. There’s a lot to learn about hoarding that you won’t learn from watching movies or television, and that’s okay.
What is hoarding disorder and how does it manifest itself?
Hoarding disorder is defined as the act of compulsively accumulating stuff, some of which may be of little worth, and then suffering anxiety when confronted with the option to discard or part with these objects.
If you or someone you love exhibits these symptoms, getting familiar with the five degrees of hoarding problem will assist you in finding appropriate treatment.
The act of hoarding is not the same as the act of gathering goods. People who hoard tend to collect stuff on the spur of the moment, without much thought, and keep them in a haphazard manner, resulting in a cluttered environment in and around their house.
People who hoard are generally embarrassed by their stuff, and they will frequently refuse to allow people to come inside their house. Hoarding disorder may create issues with health risks, relationships, social activities, and job activities, and it can even lead to financial difficulties in certain instances.
The condition of hoarding is distinct from the disorder of obsessive-compulsive behavior, contrary to popular belief (OCD). They are handled as though they were two distinct disorders. People may suffer from both OCD and hoarding tendencies; however, in the case of hoarding disorder, hoarding is not associated with obsessive-compulsive thinking.
It is possible that persons suffering from hoarding disorder are less upset by their conduct than those suffering from OCD. Hoarding behavior is often unwelcome, very upsetting, and does not provide any pleasure or reward in the case of OCD.
Symptoms
Several indications and symptoms of hoarding disorder have been identified, according to the American Psychiatric Association, including the following:
being constantly reluctant to part with objects, despite the fact that their monetary worth is little
objects that you are hanging on to because you believe you need to keep them or because throwing them away will cause you worry
having an accumulated collection of objects that clutters active living areas and considerably impairs their ability to be used as intended
It is necessary that the symptoms create significant discomfort or issues in your everyday life, such as in your social life, career, or capacity to keep yourself and others safe, before hoarding disorder may be officially diagnosed.
Hoarding disorder may cause difficulties in one’s personal and professional life. Having visitors may put a strain on family relationships and make you feel lonely, leading you to withdraw from social events as a result of feeling uncomfortable allowing others to come into your home.
Hoarding may result in a variety of health and safety difficulties, including blocked fire exits, pest infestations (insects or rats), and health dangers from animal waste, depending on your unique circumstances. Cooking and bathing might be more difficult if certain living rooms or appliances are obstructed or rendered useless.
You may accumulate a considerable quantity of clutter at your workplace, home, automobile, or other areas as a result of the symptoms of hoarding disorder (e.g., storage units). It becomes difficult to utilize furniture or appliances, as well as to walk about freely as a result. You may also consider:
feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of goods that have “taken over” your home or office become unable to locate vital objects, such as money or bills, as a result of the congestion
It is best not to let relatives or friends into your house because of emotions of shame or humiliation, as well as the fear that they would not understand. It is also best not to allow anyone inside your home to make repairs
Exemplifications of hoarding
While some persons collect a wide variety of items, others are more focused on a single kind of object, such as coins. As a result, hoarding disorder will manifest itself differently in different people.
The following are some frequent objects that hoarders like to keep onto:
Newspapers and magazines, books, clothing, pamphlets and letters, including advertising mail, bills and receipts, containers, including plastic bags and cardboard boxes, home supplies, animals, such as dogs, cats, fish, or reptiles, and advertising mail
More recently, academics have begun to investigate digital hoarding, which refers to the practice of keeping onto outdated emails, images, and videos. Hoarding disorder is considered to be a kind of digital hoarding, according to some experts.
Because digital hoarding does not pose the same health, fire, or safety issues as physical hoarding, the severity of the repercussions is likely to be less severe — though it may produce equivalent psychological suffering — than the penalties of physical hoarding.
Hoarding has a variety of causes.
There are a lot of reasons why people hoard. Occasionally, individuals assume that an object will be helpful or valuable to them in the future, and so they purchase it. Alternatively, people may believe that an item:
holds emotive significance
has something unique or special about it is too valuable to throw away is the only item that reminds them of a certain moment
The five stages of hoarding
The Institute for Challenging Disorganization developed a measure to help people better understand their level of clutter and hoarding behavior. Following is a list of the five levels, which may or may not be comprehensive:
Level 1: means that there is no extreme clutter or unhygienic conditions.
Level 2: All of the rooms in the house are being utilized for their original functions.
Doorways, windows, and stairwells are easily accessible in the event of a disaster
Minor congestion or obstruction at key exits, corridors, and stairways .
Animal control that was not appropriate or odorous waste plumbing and electrical systems that were not entirely working
Level 3: In this level, there is apparent clutter outside the house, and at least one room within the home is unusable due to congestion. There is also mild bug infestation and aural signs of pests in the home.
Level 4: odor or indications of sewage backup visible wetness or standing water creating a health threat due to mold or mildew decaying food and organic contaminants
Level 5: excessive outdoor/indoor clutter and insufficient ventilation bed unusable due to clutter or infestation unrepairable damage to the interior and external basis of the property
What is the prevalence of this problem?
Many individuals find solace in the knowledge that they are not alone in their suffering. This may also provide comfort to friends and family members who are seeking assistance on how to best assist their loved ones in receiving therapy.
According to the data, hoarding is present in between 2 and 6 percent of the population, according to a reputable source. This is more prevalent among persons over the age of 70. With each passing decade, the intensity of hoarding tendencies becomes more severe.
Although 2 percent may seem to be a little percentage, keep in mind that it represents millions of individuals. There are a lot of individuals that can connect to your situation.
Who or what is the source of the hoarding?
Hoarding disorder is a mental illness that mental health practitioners are unaware of what causes it. Many variables may increase the likelihood of developing the illness in a particular individual.
Hoarding disorder may be caused by or be associated with the following factors:
suffering from trauma, such as the death of a loved one or the diagnosis of a major disease suffering from information processing issues, such as poor planning, attention and memory, and poor organization exhibiting symptoms of hoarding disorder having a family history of hoarding disorder
As a sign of another disease, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or depression, hoarding behavior may be difficult to diagnose.
It may also be connected with the following conditions less frequently:
The practice of eating non-food objects (pica) is defined as follows:
major neurocognitive disorder (psychosis), previously called as dementia, is a result of a traumatic brain injury.
It is a hereditary disorder known as Prader–Willi syndrome.
Do you need assistance?
In the case of a friend or family member who is hoarding, try to remember that just decluttering and cleaning out their home does not constitute complete recovery. That is to say, the sheer act of cleaning someone’s environment does not imply that they will be free of hoarding issues in the future.
Having said that, it may be advantageous for a person who hoards to acquire ways for avoiding clutter since it models the kind of behaviors that will be beneficial to them:
Various ways for decluttering
Some suggestions for you to share with your loved one are as follows.
Rather of retaining something so you can decide later, make snap judgments on whether or not to keep it or discard it.
Instead of buying things on the spur of the moment, think critically about what you let into your house..
Plan 15 minutes every day to declutter, beginning with a modest amount and progressing to a larger amount.
Assistance with emotions
Simply contemplating the prospect of addressing someone’s hoarding behaviors might be stressful. What you’re saying is very understandable. As soon as you decide to speak with a loved one, make every effort to provide them with the emotional support they need.
You may utilize the following emotional tools:
Respect. Take into consideration that they are ultimately in charge of the process and the decision.
Sympathy. Put yourself in their shoes and try to grasp what they’re saying.
Encouragement. Consider methods to make their house safer, such as removing debris from doors and hallways, and provide your suggestions.
Also, given the nature of hoarding behavior, try not to take it personally if your efforts to assist your loved one are not met with enthusiasm or acceptance.
Be mindful that unless the individual is personally driven to change, they may not be ready to accept your assistance.
Treatment
Treatment alternatives may assist to minimize hoarding behaviors, make the house safer, enhance quality of life, and lessen distress that comes with storing or dumping objects, among other benefits. Examples of such items are:
Behavioral cognitive therapy (CBT) is a kind of treatment in which a person uses cognitive strategies to overcome difficulties (CBT). In addition, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may assist the individual in limiting the quantity of stuff they collect, assisting them in practicing sorting and eliminating items, as well as using cognitive restructuring to question ideas and beliefs regarding attachment to objects.
Interviewing for motivation (MI). By assisting the individual in connecting their values and objectives with their actions and discussing strategies to alter behaviors that are in conflict with their values and goals, MI may help the individual become more motivated.
Training in skills. Using this strategy, individuals may learn how to arrange their stuff inside their homes, apply problem-solving techniques to handle typical challenges that develop when working on their clutter, and make judgments about retaining necessary goods and eliminating items that contribute to clutter.
Medication. Treatment engagement for some persons might be aided by the resolution of uncomfortable feelings caused by antidepressant or anti-anxiety medicines.
So let’s review everything we’ve learned so far:
It is possible to have hoarding disorder on its own, but it is also possible for it to occur in conjunction with other mental health issues. If you’re having trouble finding the correct help, remember that the right tools are out there, and that discussion is required to get the support you need.
