Compulsive Hoarding

Even though, the exact cause of compulsive hoarding is not known, hoarding is more prevalent among individual who exhibit certain disorders already. Hoarding is commonly regarded as a subtype of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), occurring among about one-third of the individuals diagnosed with the disorder (Frost12). However, only about one- fourth of those complaining or hoarding are reported as having OCD symptoms. According to author Randy Frost and Gail Steketee in the book Stuff, recent reports argue whether hoarding is part of OCD and suggests that hoarding may in fact be a disorder all its own separate from OCD but do however share some of the same characteristics (Frost12). Other preexisting disorders that can tend to lead to someone

Cases of compulsive hoarding happen more often and to a greater extent in older adults than in any other age group in the general population. Just like that with children some cases of hoarding may not be obvious in older family members right away but can quickly grow out of control. While helping a family member or a neighbor clean someone may pick up an item that may look worthless to them. However, once the hoarder sees the item they may tell a whole story about their life that is unknown to anyone until then. The item may have no inherent value, and yet the individual may become visibly upset at even the thought of throwing it out. This type of behavior is not normal and can be an indication that the individual has or is developing hoarding tendencies. Since adults with a hoarding disorder usually have previous mental disorder this emotional reaction to discarding collected items are more reminiscent of anxiety disorders and depression (Frost14). Also, many adults with a hoarding disorder also have a personality that involves indecisiveness. Some hoarders may even have another family member who are also hoarder roughly eighty four percent of all hoarders’ state a close relatives are also hoarders. Resulting in studies that suggest that hoarding may be inherited. Although, in many cases of hoarding the individual affected had developed the

Treating hoarding requires more than a big dumpster and a box of trash bags. Even though, hoarding has been associated to OCD hoarders do not appear to respond to the same treatment as people who have classic OCD symptoms (Frost13). According to the article Compulsive Hoarding in the Journal of Community Health Nursing (Fleury, Gaudette, &Moran 2012) “Frost and Hartl (1996) developed a cognitive-behavioral model for the treatment of compulsive hoarding that has provided a framework for further understanding and treatment of compulsive hoarding. Their model recognizes that hoarding is a multifaceted problem that stems from information-processing deficits, problems with emotional attachment to possessions, behavioral avoidance, and inaccurate beliefs about the importance or nature of possessions” (Fleury).

Some studies and treatment have been implemented based on this model and some progress or success has been seen, but, the lack of understanding of the hoarding disorder still make the treatment ineffective for many. Lilit Pogosian describes these conditions in her article “Treatment of Compulsive Hoarding: A Case Study