Is Hoarding an OCD problem
HOARDING: Is Hoarding an OCD problem - OCD Support
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HOARDING
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AlysAudrey70
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Am I the only anxious one who hoards? No one else seems to be able to help me, I feel too ill to sort it out myself, have tried but it seems to be getting worse and I can't cope much longer, thank you to anyone who replies x Alys
I'm not sure, I think it might be related to OCD for some people. I guess people hoard for different reasons. How long have you been hoarding? Have you had any treatment such as CBT for it? Do you have any friends or family you can let into your house to help you with it?
Hello zipperpippa, Thank you replying, this is a copy of a letter received from an expert, ...Dear Alys:
I'm so sorry for the tragedies that have befallen you. It sounds like you've been through the ringer. It's completely understandable that you are overwhelmed by your clutter. I'm concerned that your situation is beyond my scope. Are you under the care of a mental health professional? Depression can be a cause or an effect of clutter, but given your circumstances, I would advise you to at least get an evaluation to make sure that you have all the resources you need to cope.....
I am overwhelmed and going to see a mental health professional next week, Alys
I'm glad you're going to get professional help. As I understand it people need to understand why they hoard. I think you need help from a mental health professional and then (when you're ready) help from friends or family to get your hoard reduced. I don't think it will be easy but you can definitely do it. I wish you good luck.
thank you zippapippa, you have been very helpful and yes I think I do need professional help to get over this and come out ready to get on with my life, on the basis of this I am going to see a lovely psychiatrist and have a chat with her about this which is holding me back from going forward with my life. To lose all my family in 5 years and to have major surgery for cancer, has almost been too much to bear, so now I will take steps each day xx Alys
well I saw a psychiatrist but it seems she thinks I need a break and must get out more to overcome this overwhelming hoarding I was hoping for more input but it seems there are only a handful of people in the UK who are medically qualified to deal with hoarding so it might be too difficult or too long a time to get any real help, her suggestion is to turn my back on it for a while and get over the grieving of losing my family, I doubt I will ever be able to do this but each day I hope to go forward with a tiny amount of progress, as it is very hard at the moment to gather my thoughts together. Alys
Hi Alys
I went through the same type of hoarding as I think you're experiencing. If I'm wrong about it sorry no offence meant by it.
I experienced trauma when I was younger and was always quite a cluttered person, but when a lot of my loved ones started to leave or die I found I couldn't let anything go.
I just couldn't bear to lose one more thing. It wasn't about anything that I was keep, some of had sentimental value yes but I couldn't put it in it's logical place and just look at it like objects.
The memories that I have, they're what I was trying to hold onto but I couldn't understand it.
I did get help and am doing better although I still have to be clear about what stays in the house, it doesn't rule my house anymore.
I hope this helps a least a litle
Many thanks Traumatised Trainer, your words make sense, i think the loss of my little dog, pictured above, was the last straw and I went into a deep depression, on the 21st June it will be 2 yrs since my beloved son died and it is not just my own hoarding I am trying to deal with, I have cleared 25 years of his newspapers and given hundreds of DVD's away, but it is very personal items that I cannot part with, also I do have osteoporosis and other medical issues but managed my first holiday for many years, over the weekend and am now determined to get rid of a bag of rubbish or to take a bag of good stuff to the charity shop every week, I am going to make small steps, think it has overwhelmed me for so long it is hard to tackle, but I will do it a little at a time, thanks again. Alys
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