If you are living with, are close to, or are yourself someone who is hoarding, you'll know that the disorder goes far deeper than most people realise, affecting the whole family and presenting huge challenges to the physical, mental, emotional and even financial wellbeing of anyone involved. Jo Cooke is Director of one of the UK's leading support services for people affected by hoarding and clutter, and has written this sensitive and empathetic book to help anyone experiencing hoarding difficulties. She gives insight into Hoarding Disorder - explaining what it is and, importantly, what it isn't - and what may trigger hoarding. There are strategies for how to assess the scale of situation and lay the groundwork to address it, and insights into who can help and how they can do it. An 8 step-plan gives practical steps to tackle the hoarding, supported by suggestions for what to do with the 'stuff', and advice on safeguarding - as well as techniques to support the hoarder as they attempt to stay clutter-free. There is space in the book for individuals and their own stories of hoarding, giving an empowering voice to people affected by the condition, and replacing the morbid curiosity that often accompanies it. With plenty of information on resources and therapies that can help, this is a warm and hugely practical guide that can only help anyone affected in any way by hoarding.

Accounts of hoarding behaviors stretch back thousands of years--most recently depicted in popular reality television series--but it wasn't until the publication of DSM-5 in 2013 that hoarding was classified as a disorder in its own right rather than as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder or obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. In this single source, readers can access the most up-to-date comprehensive information on what is known about the disorder. Drawing on both the authors' own clinical experience and published research, Hoarding Disorder: A Comprehensive Clinical Guide examines the phenomenology and etiology of the disorder, as well as psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments, challenges, and future directions. Appendices feature useful symptom rating scales that can be applied to practice. Whether readers are practicing psychiatrists, psychologists, or other mental health professionals; professionals in training; or peer support counselors and community advocates; all will benefit from the wealth of information in this volume--made more easily accessible through key points in each chapter--and find the guidance they need to effectively and compassionately treat patients with hoarding disorder.

This book offers in-depth information on pathological hoarding, describing both the root of the disorder and its progression. How can hoarding disorder be diagnosed? What are the challenges involved in treatment? How can professionals best deal with those affected? In this practical guide, health professionals will find the answers to these and many other questions. In the last few years the awareness of this disorder has gradually increased – not only in the academic community, but also in the media – and it has become clear that there are a considerable number of people worldwide who continue to suffer from it. The case studies presented here share essential insights into the diverse backgrounds and lives of affected individuals. In addition, hoarding disorder has since been classified as a new mental disorder by the WHO, which means many psychoanalysts, psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers will need to be trained accordingly. This book offers valuable guidance.

Hoarding disorder is the excessive saving of objects and difficulty parting with them to a point that interferes with one's ability to properly use rooms and furnishings in the home. Hoarding can become dangerous, sometimes resulting in structural problems and fires, or in hazardous sanitary conditions. Studies indicate that around one in every 25 people suffers from hoarding. This means that almost all of us know someone who hoards. Hoarding: What Everyone Needs to Know® demystifies this complex problem, what it looks like and why it may develop, and how it can be treated. With their combined expertise in psychological treatments for hoarding and community interventions, Drs. Steketee and Bratiotis explain how to understand hoarding as a mental illness, describing the disorder in layman's terms and explaining the various facets and manifestations of the behavior. Chapters focus on one or more common questions regarding diagnosis, features, how to assess severity, and treatment. The book will dispel myths and help readers identify hoarding that touches their own lives. As such it will be of great value not only to those who suspect a loved one may be hoarding, but also to first responders, such as firefighters, public health officials, and housing and social service personnel, who will find here an essential resource for use in the field.

Hoarding disorder, classified as one of the obsessive-compulsive and related disorders in the DSM-5, presents particular challenges in therapeutic work, including treatment ambivalence and lack of insight of those affected. This evidence-based guide written by leading experts presents the latest knowledge on assessment and treatment of hoarding disorder. The reader gains a thorough grounding in the treatment of choice for hoarding – a specific form of CBT interweaved with psychoeducational, motivational, and harm-reduction approaches to enhance treatment outcome. Rich anecdotes and clinical pearls illuminate the science, and the book also includes information for special client groups, such as older individuals and those who hoard animals. Printable handouts help busy practitioners. This book is essential reading for clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and practitioners who work with older populations, as well as students.

Hoarding involves the acquisition of and inability to discard large numbers of possessions that clutter the living area of the person collecting them. It becomes a disorder when the behavior causes significant distress or interferes with functioning. Hoarding can interfere with activities of daily living (such as being able to sit in chairs or sleep in a bed), work efficiency, family relationships, as well as health and safety. Hoarding behavior can range from mild to life-threatening. Epidemiological findings suggest that hoarding occurs in 2-6% of the adult population, making it two to three times more common than obsessive-compulsive disorder. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) now includes Hoarding Disorder as a distinct disorder within the OCD and Related Anxiety Disorders section, creating a demand for information about it. The Oxford Handbook of Hoarding and Acquiring is the first volume to detail the empirical research on hoarding. Including contributions from all of the leading researchers in the field, this comprehensive volume is divided into four sections in addition to introductory and concluding chapters by the editors: Phenomenology, Epidemiology, and Diagnosis; Etiology; Assessment and Intervention; and Hoarding in Special Populations. The summaries of research and clinical interventions contained here clarify the emotional and behavioral features, diagnostic challenges, and nature of the treatment interventions for this new disorder. This handbook will be a critical resource for both practitioners and researchers, including psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists, epidemiologists, social workers, occupational therapists, and other health and mental health professionals who encounter clients with hoarding problems in their practice and research.

The relationship people have with their possessions ranges from purely utilitarian to intensely emotional. For most people, their personal possessions provide them with a sense of security, comfort, and pleasure. However, if someone loses the ability to distinguish useful or important possessions from those that make life overly complicated, the objects can become a prison. For people who suffer from Hoarding Disorder (HD), the process of getting rid of unneeded objects is not easy. For them, possessions never "feel" unneeded and trying to get rid of them is an excruciating emotional ordeal. This Second Edition of Treatment for Hoarding Disorder is the culmination of more than 20 years of research on understanding hoarding and building an effective intervention to address its myriad components. Thoroughly updated and reflective of changes made to the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5), this second edition of the Therapist Guide and accompanying client Workbook outlines an empirically supported and effective CBT program for treating hoarding disorder. This Therapist Guide is written for mental health clinicians-psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, counselors, and psychiatric nurses-to guide effective treatment of people with hoarding disorder. It provides numerous assessment and intervention forms to help clients use the methods described in the intervention. A major goal of the treatment is to recapture the positive role of possessions in the lives of people with hoarding problems, and strategies are outlined for sustaining gains and making further progress, as well as for managing stressful life events that can provoke problematic acquiring and difficulty discarding.

Although most people enjoy acquiring and using their possessions and nearly everyone keeps some things they dont need or use, people with compulsive hoarding carry this to an extreme. For them, ridding themselves of extra possessions is emotionally exhausting. Organizing is difficult and resisting the impulse to acquire new things is almost impossible. This book represents more than a decade of research and practice to understand hoarding and develop an effective treatment program that address its many components. Used in conjunction with the treatment described in the therapist guide, this workbook teaches people how to minimize the negative effect clutter has on their lives, as well as the lives of those close to them. Using effective and practical techniques and skills, this program helps people get used to the idea of sorting, organizing, and gradually removing their unwanted possessions. People who hoard tend to overvalue the importance of the things they own and keep. This book will also help people to recognize errors in their thinking and modify their thoughts and beliefs to more accurately reflect the value of their belongings. Worksheets for developing a personal organization plan and determining categories for filing are also included in this interactive, easy-to-use workbook. With these books, users can be active participants who successfully overcome their compulsive hoarding. TreatmentsThatWork? represents the gold standard of behavioral healthcare interventions! BL All programs have been rigorously tested in clinical trials and are backed by years of research BL A prestigious scientific advisory board, led by series Editor-In-Chief David H. Barlow, reviews and evaluates each intervention to ensure that it meets the highest standard of evidence so you can be confident that you are using the most effective treatment available to date BL Our books are reliable and effective and make it easy for you to provide your clients with the best care available BL Our corresponding workbooks contain psychoeducational information, forms and worksheets, and homework assignments to keep clients engaged and motivated BL A companion website (www.oup.com/us/ttw) offers downloadable clinical tools and helpful resources BL Continuing Education (CE) Credits are now available on select titles in collaboration with PsychoEducational Resources, Inc. (PER)

The cat lady. The couple who won't let anyone in their apartment. The old man with all that junk in his yard. Their severe hoarding puts them, and often others, at risk for injury, disease, and even death. Most deny needing help, and for this reason, professionals are desperate to find more effective ways to offer and provide assistance to them. In response to this growing public health problem, Clinician's Guide to Severe Hoarding refines our understanding and presents in depth and innovative alternative to traditional interventions. Arguing that although treatment for hoarding can be effective for those who are open to help, people with severe hoarding are not. The Clinician’s Guide to Severe Hoarding describes an alternative strategy to help those who adamantly refuse help and yet face significant health and safety risks due to the hoarding problem – harm reduction. This client-centered approach takes readers through harm reduction plan development, team building, goal setting, client collaboration, and progress assessment. The Clinician’s Guide also explains that a successful harm reduction plan may encourage clients to seek further help, and offers insights into working with special populations such as people who hoard animals and children who exhibit hoarding behavior. The Clinician's Guide describes in detail a range of strategies for assisting people with severe hoarding: Strategies for engaging with clients who hoard. Guidelines for assessing harm potential. Guidelines for creating a harm reduction plan, building a harm reduction team, and conducting and evaluating home visits. Skills for client self-help: decision making, time management, and more. Guidelines for navigating the ethical and legal issues that arise in assisting people who hoard. Readings, links, and other resources. With its practical common-sense approach to a complex problem, Clinician's Guide to Severe Hoarding is a unique volume not only for mental health practitioners, but also other professionals who assist people who hoard, such as home health aides, social workers, and professional organizers.

Do you know a hoarder or are you one yourself? Then this book is perfect for you. With the help of this information, you can start your road to recovery from hoarding disorder. Solutions, insights, and root causes are all in here. Among others, you will find the following sub-topics addressed: The detailed definition, causes, and consequences of hoarding summarized Potential home hazards and the main reasons to begin admitting you have a problem Tips, tricks, and shortcuts to help you break the cycle and become clutter-free How to use psychological techniques, family members, and prescribed medication to get through to a hoarder and the process of denial Simple steps to take apart the habit one step at a time And much more!