If you came here wondering do my parent have a hoarding disorder, the answer is not as straightforward as you may expect. We all accumulate possessions as we find our way through life. These tend to increase in number as the years roll by.
Hoarders, by contrast accumulate so many possessions, that they interfere with their normal routine. They store them untidily, and are unable to discard them, even though they don’t need them anymore. Hoarders are not concerned that this could affect their health or safety either.
Is My Parent Likely to Hoard Certain Things?
A typical hoarder in the UK is likely to be in their sixties, or older. They may hoard used items like boxes, magazines, containers, bags, and old clothing, and anything else that’s going free. If you query this habit, they may explain that they plan to use the items in future.
This fixation inevitably ends up with items the hoarder can no longer store in their cupboards. Over time, their hoards spill out onto piles on the floor, the balcony, in the garage if they have one, and even in the yard. This clutter can grow to the point that it takes over whole rooms.
Severely Cluttered Bathroom (Image Avery Associates)
Health and Safety Matters With Hoarding
You may no longer need to ponder over does my parent have hoarding disorder, if their bathroom looks like the above! It may be time to turn your attention to the health and safety consequences of severe hoarding:
- Severe hoarding impacts on interpersonal relationships and personal hygiene.
- Unhygienic circumstances can allow cockroaches and other pests to take hold.
- The clutter can expand to become a fire hazard, with blocked exits and trip hazards.
You may find your parent becoming less interested in your visits. Hoarders often do this to avoid criticism. Make sure that you do not lose contact completely. Find creative ways to stay in touch.
Does Hoarding Run in Families, Can I Get It?
Perhaps you clicked through to this article, because you were concerned about yourself too. Your worrying over does my parent have hoarding disorder, begs the question could I catch it too? The good news is you cannot ‘catch’ a mental syndrome the way you could pick up a cold, because it is a behavioral issue.
However, and here’s the worry, hoarding syndrome does run in families. It may be in our genes, the result of our family upbringing, or both:
- The first signs of hoarding may appear in our childhood, but are suppressed.
- However, these signs may surface in adolescence, as parents gradually relinquish control.
- The conditions is, however, three times more likely to appear in aging adults in the UK.
- Hoarding can worsen the problems of aging, such as falling over hazards, and losing things.
Slightly more than half of people with hoarding disorder, also have to cope with other mental conditions. These might include major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social phobia. In some cases, dementia or stroke may be responsible for hoarding behavior.
Why Do Hoarders Accumulate Clutter?
We are therefore unable to provide a definitive answer to the first enigma, does my parent have hoarding disorder.You may like to turn to the second conundrum, which is what compels hoarders to hoard? Here we are on slightly firmer ground, although there are still few definitive answers to what causes situations like this …
Medical scientists still have much to learn, regarding what compels people to hoard. There is, however, some evidence suggesting hoarders may have difficulties planning, problem-solving, memory, learning, attention, and organizing.
This may help to explain why hoarders generally do not see hoarding as a problem. It is not something they deliberately cause. They may simply be doing what comes naturally to them.
Treatment for Hoarding Disorder
Hoarding is a mental state, not a physical condition, and there is no cure for the syndrome. If you believe your parent has hoarding disorder, then you may like to research cognitive behavioral therapy treatment instead.
This is a discussion therapy that may influence, but not cure your parent’s condition. The therapist may be able to convince them to clear away the worst of their hoard, and manage their urges better in future.
Speak To Us If You Need Further Assistance
Avery Associates has been clearing hoarded homes in Greater London for over twenty years. Our qualified valuer will identify any personal documents and valuables first, before our professional team removes the rest.
More Information
Symptoms and Causes of Hoarding Disorder
Does My Friend Have Hoarding Disorder?
I have used Avery Associates both personally and professionally for a range of services, including house clearances and probate valuations for over a decade. Shar Gabore
