What Is Hoarding Syndrome and Its Treatment?

Hoarding syndrome has gotten much attention in the public eye lately, with television shows like Hoarders bringing the issue of hording to the forefront of media attention.  But, what exactly is hoarding syndrome and how is hoarding treated?

Hoarding syndrome is a mental disease where people have the impulsive need to keep everything. This goes beyond the normal collection of things. For example:

• Individuals with this syndrome keep things or animals they have inherited, purchased, or just gathered throughout the years from many different people and places.
• People with the syndrome find it difficult to part with any type of possession they have obtained over the years. The problem frequently becomes so bad that the clutter in the home prevents them from living a normal life.
• Normally someone with this syndrome has a home full of clutter that can extend from the floor to the ceiling. In the middle of all the clutter there may be a small pathway to navigate from room to room.
• The clutter becomes so bad that it becomes a fire hazard and a violation of numerous health codes. The clutter also attracts bugs and other vermin that not only become a pest to the offending house, but also become pests to the surrounding neighbors.

The problem becomes worse for those with the syndrome who also hoard stray animals. Odor from the animal’s wastes typically overwhelms the home and creates many other types of health concerns. Sometimes the animals may even die within the home and, with all the other clutter, it is impossible for the hoarder to know this has happened.

Medical Diagnosis and Treatment of Hoarding

Hoarding syndrome is no laughing matter and it is associated with other illnesses such as OCD, OCPD, eating disorders, and other types of mental disorders.

Treatment of hoarding is a sensitive issue because the hoarder feels as if he is emotionally attached to everything that he owns. What seems like a piece of trash to any person not suffering from the syndrome seems like a treasure to them that is hard to let go. This means you can't just make a hoarder throw everything out in order to cure him or solve the problem.

Unfortunately, while hoarding is recognized by the medical profession as a serious mental condition that requires treatment, experts cannot agree on any one particular treatment to cure a hoarder of his obsession for keeping things.

• Some doctors believe that medication such as those that are given to OCD patients will help with treating a chronic hoarder.
• Other doctors say that the only treatment for chronic hoarders is some form of psychotherapy.

• When talk therapy is used, the hoarder must be convinced that not everything he or she finds is a treasure that must be kept forever and must learn to detach these emotional feelings to objects. Many doctors believe you can only do this by treating the mind through therapy rather than relying on pharmaceutical medications.

Hoarding syndrome is a serious mental condition. For more information about the symptoms and treatment of hoarding you should speak with a medical professional.