**Hoarding Behavior and Triggers:**
– Human hoarding can be triggered by civil unrest, natural disasters, or by survivalists preparing for large-scale emergencies.
– Commonly hoarded items include essentials like food, water, and gasoline, as well as valuables like coins, collectibles, jewelry, and precious metals.
– Studies suggest that anthropomorphism is linked to hoarding tendencies, with stronger behaviors observed in younger individuals and women.
**Historical Cases and Cultural References:**
– The first documented hoarding case was the Collyer Mansion by brothers Homer and Langley in 1947, drawing attention due to the extreme accumulation found after their deaths.
– Cultural references to hoarding can be found in literature, such as Dante’s ‘The Divine Comedy’ and Shakespeare’s ‘Coriolanus’, depicting hoarders as sinners or featuring characters hoarding grain.
**Impact and Treatment of Hoarding Disorder:**
– Hoarding disorder causes anxiety about discarding possessions due to emotional attachment, leading to severe clutter that can pose fire hazards, health risks, and compromised living conditions.
– Hoarding disorder typically starts around age 13 and may be influenced by genetics or life circumstances.
– Treatment for hoarding disorder primarily involves cognitive behavior therapy, as there are no FDA-approved medications specifically for hoarding symptoms.
**Diagnostic Criteria and Approaches for Hoarding Disorder:**
– The DSM-5 outlines specific criteria for diagnosing hoarding disorder, including difficulty discarding items, excessive clutter, and associated distress.
– Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in treating hoarding disorder, aiming to challenge and change unhelpful beliefs and behaviors.
– Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a common technique in CBT for hoarding, and medications like SSRIs may be prescribed in some cases.
**Consequences and Resources for Hoarding Disorder:**
– Hoarding disorder affects physical and mental well-being, leading to safety hazards, strained relationships, social isolation, and feelings of shame.
– Addressing hoarding disorder early is crucial to prevent further deterioration of living conditions and quality of life.
– Various resources like books and workbooks are available to provide information and support for individuals dealing with hoarding disorder.
Hoarding is the act of engaging in excessive acquisition of items that are not needed or for which no space is available.
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