Cures for Hoarders

Hoarding is defined as a hidden accumulation, and has been identified as a disease. A hoarder has much larger issues than having a messy house or a disorganized desk. A hoarder has a genuine compulsion in which their hoarding can lead to safety and health hazards. There is no cure for hoarding; however, there are two main types of treatment.

Research

• Psychologist David Tolin, director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Institute for Living, admits that the medical understanding of hoarding is weak. Hoarders are young and old, rich and poor, as well as male and female. Medical research shows that compulsive hoarders have lower metabolic activity in a deep brain structure, which is the structure that is involved in focusing attention and decision making.

Symptoms

• The Anxiety Disorders Association of America reports that symptoms of a hoarder include the inability to throw possessions away, severe anxiety when trying to throw something away, difficulty categorizing possessions, embarrassment by the amount of possessions, social isolation and obsessive fears about running out of an item.

Psychotherapy

• The Mayo Clinic recommends psychotherapy treatment for hoarders. Ongoing visits can help hoarders discover why they hoard and educate them on how to organize possessions. Patients can choose to attend family or group therapy. Throughout the sessions, patients can improve their decision-making skills. Psychotherapists will encourage patients to consider psychiatric hospitalization if their hoarding is too severe.

Medication

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to hoarding patients, according to the Mayo Clinic. This type of antidepressant has proven to work well for obsessive-compulsive disorder patients. Unfortunately, there is not enough conclusive research to prove that SSRI is effective for hoarders.