Family members of compulsive hoarders are generally much more distressed about the behavior than the person doing the hoarding. Grown children of compulsive hoarders can suffer from embarrassment, guilt, fear of inheriting the hoarding disorder, financial consequences, and self-blame.
The website COH: Children of Hoarders is dedicated to adult children of compulsive hoarders. It poignantly shows the emotional toll hoarding takes on families, and offers advice and support to adult children of hoarders.
Young children growing up in a hoarding environment suffer from shame, social isolation and health problems, such as allergies and asthma, that result from an unclean environment. They may experience anxiety and depression, anger and helplessness.
What is Compulsive Hoarding?
Compulsive hoarding is also referred to as pathological hoarding, disposophobia and syllogomania. It is not listed as a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
The generally accepted definition of hoarding covers three core elements:
- accumulation of a large number of seemingly useless possessions;
- living spaces that are difficult to use due to the clutter;
- and significant impairment in function resulting from the hoarding behaviors.
According to the International OCD Foundation, compulsive hoarders tend to collect: magazines, newspapers, junk mail, notes, lists, books, broken items, junk, garbage, pets, and in more extreme cases, spoiled food, feces and urine.
How Common is Pathological Hoarding?
As many as 5% of Americans may develop hoarding behaviors, but as many as 25% to 30% of people diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), are compulsive hoarders in addition to having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Hoarding used to be seen as a manifestation of OCD, but now it is seen as related but distinct disorder. This is due to brain imaging studies which show that different areas of the brain are responsible for compulsive hoarding and OCD.
In addition, hoarders with OCD do not respond well to traditional OCD treatments. It is thought that compulsive hoarding may also be related to impulse control disorders, according to Dr. James Claiborn's article, "Hoarding: Where Does It Belong?,"published on the OCD Foundation's website.
Facts About Compulsive Hoarding (Disposophobia)
There may be a genetic link because 85% of compulsive hoarders have either a parent, sibling or child with those behaviors. According to Claiborn, nervous tics are also more prevalent in hoarders with OCD than people with OCD who do not hoard, supporting the possibility of a genetic link. In addition:
- Studies show that hoarding usually begins at age 12 or 13 and progressively worsens with age, if untreated.
- Neurological damage to the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain involved in decision making, can precede this behavior.
- Healthy people may develop hoarding behaviors, as well as people with autism, schizophrenia, dementia and mental retardation in addition to people with OCD.
How to Help Family Members get Treatment for Compulsive Hoarding
People with compulsive hoarding with or without OCD, do not respond well to traditional OCD treatments like antidepressant medications or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), though some do. However, new forms of CBT, specifically tailored to the individual thought processes and experiences of compulsive hoarders are showing promise.
But it is particularly difficult to convince the hoarding family member to seek help. Family members are advised to never throw things away without the hoarder’s permission. Specialized CBT for hoarders help family members work together with loved ones and empower compulsive hoarders to make appropriate decisions for themselves. Family members of hoarders are encouraged to seek help themselves from a trained professional experienced in successful treatment of hoarders, even if the afflicted family member will not seek help. More information about treatment help for compulsive hoarding is provided by the International OCD Foundation's Compulsive Hoarding Website.
More research about hoarding is being done. Though it is distinct from OCD, many people with OCD are compulsive hoarders. Hoarding has been very hard to treat, but new forms of CBT specifically designed for hoarding show promise. It is important to find an expert with experience in treating compulsive hoarding.
Other Sources:
"Helping Compulsive Hoarders" Harvard Mental Health Letter Vol. 26, No. 6, December 2009.
Lisa C. DeLuca - Lisa C. DeLuca is a psychotherapist/social worker who works with families and teens. She also treats panic and anxiety disorders.
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