Brilio.net - The phenomenon of boarding rooms filled with goods and rubbish has recently become widespread. Storing things because you feel sorry for throwing them away, even though you no longer use them, is normal. However, if there is a tendency to store items in piles without paying attention to their value, this could be hoarding disorder.
Hoarding disorder is a mental disorder that attacks a person, resulting in a tendency to hoard things, and difficulty throwing away unused trash. This disease has a bad impact on sufferers on their daily activities. What's worse, hoarding disorder sufferers often don't realize that they have a mental health disorder. As a result, many sufferers experience other mental disorders, such as depression and acute stress.
Apart from hoarding things, there are various other symptoms that indicate someone is suffering from hoarding disorder, but they are often ignored. If this continues to happen and there are no appropriate treatment steps, the impact of hoarding disorder will get worse, both for the sufferer and the people around him. If you are interested in exploring information about hoarding disorder and its symptoms which are often ignored, you can read the information below.
Here are 10 symptoms of hoarding disorder that are often ignored. As reported by brilio.net from various sources, Monday (27/5).
Understanding hoarding disorder.
Definition and causes of hoarding disorder
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Hoarding disorder is a mental disorder characterized by the behavior of accumulating or gathering excessive amounts of items, causing difficulty in managing living space and daily activities. People with this disorder find it difficult or difficult to throw away items that may be useless or even trash.
They tend to feel emotionally attached to these items, even if they appear to have no real value or use. Some examples of items that people with hoarding disorder usually hoard include: package wrappers, used drink bottles, clothes, books, letters, and even household utensils.
Hoarding disorder sufferers often do not realize that they are experiencing mental health problems. As a result, treatment steps to help treat this condition become increasingly difficult and slow. The severity of hoarding disorder ranges from mild to severe. In some mild cases, the symptoms of hoarding items do not really interfere with the sufferer's daily activities. However, in severe cases, this really interferes with activities, resulting in self-isolation from the surrounding social environment.
Causes of hoarding disorder.
Definition and causes of hoarding disorder
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The cause of hoarding disorder is currently not known for certain. However, this disease is often associated with several other mental health disorders, such as acute stress, depression and OCD. Apart from that, there are several other factors or causes that can trigger hoarding disorder in a person, namely:
1. Genetic factors.
Several studies show that there are genetic factors that influence a person's susceptibility to hoarding disorder. This means that it is possible that this disorder may occur more frequently in individuals who have a family history of accumulation problems or other psychiatric disorders.
2. Environmental factors and childhood experiences.
Childhood experiences, especially related to family environment and parenting patterns, can play a role in the development of hoarding disorder. For example, if a person is raised in an environment where accumulation of items is considered normal or is treated in a way that reinforces accumulation behavior, they may have a higher risk of developing this disorder. Additionally, psychological trauma, such as the loss of a loved one or other disturbing experiences, can also contribute to the development of hoarding disorder.
3. Psychological and neurological factors.
Several studies have found a link between hoarding disorder and certain neurological or psychological conditions. For example, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is often related to hoarding disorder, even though the two are different disorders. OCD is characterized by disturbing obsessions and compulsions, while hoarding disorder focuses on the behavior of accumulating things. In addition to OCD, anxiety disorders, depression, or other neurocognitive conditions can also contribute to the development of hoarding disorder.
4. Difficulty making decisions and managing emotions.
Some research indicates that individuals with hoarding disorder may experience difficulties with decision making and emotion regulation. They may have a tendency to assign high emotional value to items, even if the items actually have no practical value. Additionally, they may use accumulation of items as a way to cope with or avoid uncomfortable emotions, such as anxiety, sadness, or uncertainty.
10 symptoms of hoarding disorder that are often ignored.
Definition and causes of hoarding disorder
2024 Freepik.com/various sources
Apart from hoarding things, there are several other symptoms that indicate someone is experiencing hoarding disorder, including the following:
1. Difficulty throwing away useless items.
2. Inability to throw away annoying items.
3. Difficulty organizing things until they are messy.
4. Have a sense of responsibility to maintain goods.
5. Becoming stressed and uncomfortable when thinking about throwing away things.
6. Don't let other people throw things away.
7. Difficulty deciding what to throw away and what to keep.
8. Buying too many things that are not needed.
9. Isolate yourself from the social environment.
10. Not caring about the health and cleanliness of the room.
How to treat hoarding disorder.
Definition and causes of hoarding disorder
2024 Freepik.com/various sources
Hoarding disorder treatment often involves a combination of psychological therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, social support, and medication. The drugs given are drugs that can relieve acute stress levels, such as anxiety disorders and depression.
1. Cognitive behavioral therapy.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most commonly used therapeutic approach in the treatment of hoarding disorder. This therapy aims to help individuals identify, understand, and change thought patterns and behavior related to accumulation of items. The therapist will also help the sufferer to deal with the anxiety or fear associated with throwing away these items through techniques such as gradual exposure.
2. Supportive therapy.
Supportive therapy can take the form of individual or group counseling, which aims to provide emotional and practical support to someone affected by hoarding disorder.
3. Household intervention.
Household intervention involves collaborating with family or other household members, to help clean and tidy the home environment of the person affected by hoarding disorder. This approach can reduce the physical burden of the process of cleaning the house, and provide emotional support to individuals affected by the disorder.
4. Management of stress and anxiety.
Managing stress and anxiety is an important component in the treatment of hoarding disorder. Individuals may need stress management strategies such as meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or deep breathing techniques to overcome anxiety. If necessary, therapists can also recommend therapy or medication to reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression that are often associated with hoarding disorder.
These are 10 symptoms of hoarding disorder that are often ignored. The hope is that after you know the information about hoarding disorder, you will be more aware of your own mental health. If you encounter any symptoms of hoarding disorder in yourself or someone close to you, immediately consult with an expert, so that it can be treated quickly. Hopefully this information is useful, OK!
(Intern/Zidan Fajri)