How To Tell If You Are A Hoarder

Treatment Options

Treating hoarding disorder can be challenging as many patients do not recognize the negative and harmful impact of their hoarding on their lives and how it affects their loved ones. As a result, they often believe they do not need treatment. This is especially true if the individual is hoarding animals or items that bring them a sense of comfort. When the animals or items are removed from the home, hoarders tend to react with frustration and anger. The primary treatment option for hoarding disorder is cognitive behavior therapy, and medications can help if the patient has depression or anxiety. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is the main method used to treat hoarding disorder and helps the patient identify and challenge their thoughts and beliefs related to saving items, and they learn to also resist the urge to acquire more things. Therapy can also help them organize and categorize their possessions, improve their decision-making and coping skills, declutter their home (with assistance), learn to reduce their isolation and increase their social involvement and help to mend family conflicts.

Currently, there are no specific medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat hoarding disorder, however, medications are often prescribed if the patient has anxiety and depression. Antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often the type of medication prescribed.