Hoarding disorder
If you think a family member or someone you know has a hoarding disorder, try to persuade them to come with you to see a GP.
This may not be easy, as someone who hoards might not think they need help. Try to be sensitive about the issue and emphasise your concerns for their health and wellbeing.
Reassure them that nobody is going to go into their home and throw everything out. You're just going to have a chat with the doctor about their hoarding to see what can be done and what supportis available to empower them to begin the process of decluttering.
Your GP may be able to refer you to your local community mental health team, which might have a therapist who's familiar with issues such as OCD and hoarding. If you have difficulties accessing therapy, the charity OCD-UK may be able to help.
It's generally not a good idea toget extra storage space or call in the council or environmental health to clear the rubbish away. This won't solve the problem and the clutter often quicklybuilds up again.
Read about hoarding disorders, including why it might happen, why it's a problem, and what can be done about it.
The reasons why someone begins hoarding aren't fully understood. It can be a symptom of another condition. For example, someone with mobility problems may be physically unable to clear the huge amoun
Many people collect items such as books or stamps and this isnt considered a problem. The difference between a"hoard"and a"collection"is how these items are organised. A collection is usually well-or
Someone who has a hoarding disorder may typically: keep or collect items that may have little or no monetary value, such as junk mail and carrier bags, or items they intend to reuse or repair (see b
Somepeople with ahoarding disorderwill hoard a range of items, while others may just hoard certain types of objects. Items that are often hoarded include: newspapers andmagazines books clothes l
A hoarding disorder can be a problem for several reasons. It cantake over the person's life, making it very difficult for them to get around their house. It can cause their work performance, personal
If you think a family member or someone you know has a hoarding disorder, try to persuade them to come with you to see a GP. This may not be easy, as someone who hoards might not think they need help
It's not easy to treathoarding disorders, even when theperson is prepared to seek help, butit can be overcome. The main treatment is cognitive behavioural therapy(CBT) . The therapist will help the p