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By Eve Glicksman, Staff Writer
Most of us hang on to far more things than we'll ever need. Maybe, just maybe, we will need that faded shirt or ancient file some day.
Some people find it hard to throw anything out, though. They keep stacks of magazines or boxes of useless stuff all over. Piles of mail cover the dining table so no one can eat there. While family members grow frustrated, the hoarder is unaware that he or she has a problem.
Extreme hoarding may be a symptom of - or linked to - obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is an anxiety disorder in which people become fixed on certain thoughts and adopt irrational rituals that are repeated, such as hand washing. In this case, hoarders are driven to acquire and save many objects that aren't needed.
Hoarding symptoms can get worse over time and can turn a home into a safety hazard. Cluttered floors can raise the risk of someone tripping and falling. Dust and mold can trigger headaches, asthma and allergies. Blocked doors and old newspapers may create fire hazards. Pets can't find litter boxes. Clutter and filth attract insects and rodents.
How to recognize a hoarder
Don't confuse a compulsive hoarder with a pack rat. A hoarder's urge to save things takes over his or her life. The person is often be driven not to waste things, even items of little or no value. Hoarders may collect paper cups, rubber bands, animals or receipts. Possessions become a form of security and attachment.
Experts estimate that 700,000 to two million Americans are compulsive hoarders. While hoarding is thought to be related to OCD, early research suggests it may be a separate problem. Scientists have found that hoarders have a distinct pattern of brain activity from non-hoarders with OCD.
Hoarding may have a genetic link, too. Up to 85 percent of hoarders have a relative who also has the problem, according to the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation. Environment may also play a role.
Symptoms common to hoarders include:
- Indecision (e.g., whether to keep or save things)
- Fear about not having or losing something
- Distress about throwing things away or having them removed
- Perfectionism, which makes them avoid tasks and perform slowly
- Poor organizing skills
- Using too many details when talking
- Not letting people in their homes
- Anxiety
- Depression
Help for hoarders
Hoarding is not about being lazy or messy. This is a psychiatric illness that will not improve without treatment. Just throwing out the person's stuff can set off more symptoms. While hoarding can be hard to treat, counseling and medication may help.
Usually, it's a spouse, landlord or friend who suggests that the hoarder get help. Counselors who treat hoarders may visit the home. They help the hoarder to:
- Address distorted thoughts about the value of items.
- Make decisions about what to throw out.
- Reduce the fear of loss and distress after discarding things.
- Learn not to buy what isn't needed.
- Put things away rather than start piles.
A class of medication known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) relieves symptoms in many hoarders.
NOTE:
Anyone being treated with antidepressants, particularly people being treated for depression, should be watched closely for worsening depression and for increased suicidal thinking or behavior. Close watching may be especially important early in treatment or when the dose is changed (either increased or decreased). Discuss any concerns with your doctor.
NOTE:
SSRI antidepressants, such as sertraline, citalopram and paroxetine, may slightly increase the risk of congenital heart defects if taken during the first trimester of pregnancy. Discuss the benefits and risks of antidepressants with your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to get pregnant. Do not stop taking these medications without first talking to your doctor.
Talk to your doctor about what you can do if you or a family member has this disorder.
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