Is hoarding items a symptom of PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): One of the most common causes of hoarding is PTSD, "Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.

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Hoarding Disorder is usually caused by certain other psychological issues.

Causes of Hoarding Include:

Below, we will analyze these mental health issues to get a better picture of what causes hoarding so that those with hoarding disorder can be better treated, getting them faster on the road to recovery!

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):

One of the most common causes of hoarding is PTSD, "Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event”. Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better. If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD" (Mayo Clinic PTSD). PTSD can be found in individuals who have experienced severe trauma in their life, negatively affecting their emotional state. In extreme circumstances, the onset of PTSD can lead to depression which is another mental health issue that can lead to hoarding (see explanation of depression as a cause of hoarding below). PTSD is not a visible injury, so it may go unnoticed, talk to the hoarder about traumatic events from their past so that they can bring it up to their mental health professional. This may help their mental health professional be better able to identify the root cause of their hoarding behavior.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD):

Another condition that can cause hoarding is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). "Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily activities and cause significant distress" (Mayo Clinic OCD). OCD is an obsessive complex that can take over the brain and result in an unhealthy fixation on certain items that may result in hoarding behaviors. OCD is not always visible so talk to the hoarder about obsessions that they may have so that mental health professionals treating the individual may be able to better identify the root cause of their hoarding behavior.

Depression (Major Depressive Disorder):

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Depression is a mental health issue that can develop into hoarding as well. "Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living. More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn't a weakness, and you can't simply "snap out" of it. Depression may require long-term treatment. But don't get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychotherapy or both" (Mayo Clinic Depression). When depression occurs the home of the depressed individual may deteriorate in cleanliness and safety due to a lack of motivation or energy. Piles of items, waste, and or garbage may begin to accumulate because of the depression, causing hoarding conditions if the depression is not treated and the mess is not cleaned. Depression is not always visible so talk to the hoarder about persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest that they may have and ask them to bring it up to their mental health professional so they may be able to better identify the root cause of their hoarding behavior.

Mental Health Diseases of the Elderly:

In some cases, hoarding behaviors can begin to show in people who suffer from mental health issues related to aging.

MENTAL HEALTH DISEASES OF THE AGING INCLUDE:

All these diseases effect the person’s ability to take care of themselves and or their homes, with the deterioration of their self-care capabilities. Over time the living condition of the person deteriorates because they physically or mentally cannot clean their home. Sometimes they begin to purchase unnecessary or duplicate items, and or they irrationally gather things that are in the trash or have been discarded even though the items may not be clean, safe, or useful. It is a good idea to keep the mental illnesses above in mind when helping a loved one recover from hoarding!

What can one do to resolve the issues of hoarding?

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Step One: The first step on the road to recovery for a hoarder is to get the individual the psychological help they need; this can range from therapeutic treatment, psychological treatment (ex: psychotherapy), and or medical treatment. If the root psychological cause (or causes) of the hoarding is not addressed, then the hoarding may reoccur. Even if the clutter is gone it can still return if the psychological issues are left unaddressed. It is also important to note that the support of loved ones is usually extremely helpful to the recovery of a hoarder. Step Two: Once the root of the hoarding problem has been identified and treatment has started, then the home can be cleaned. To clean a hoarder's home it is important to use a company that specializes in hoarding cleanup, one such company is Address Our Mess, we provide professional hoarding cleanup service . We operate with discretion and compassion with individuals who want to better their lives through cleaning and organization. Our crews are well versed on the mental health status of the client and take the utmost care to help them solve their clutter and organization problems and clean their home. At Address Our Mess we pride ourselves on our workers and case managers being some of the best in the industry! Step Three: The healing process can begin. The primary treatment for hoarding disorder is psychotherapy (see below).

Psychotherapy

“Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is the primary treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common form of psychotherapy used to treat hoarding disorder. Try to find a therapist or other mental health professional with experience in treating hoarding disorder” (Mayo Clinic Hoarding Disorder Treatment). Call 410-589-2747, email info@addressourmess.com, or use our contact us page to reach out to us for more information on our hoarding cleanup service. We are here to help!

Resources:

clutterhoardingcleanup.com - What Causes Hoarding? | Address Our Mess

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