Hoarding: AN OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

ASSOCIATED WITH ANXIETY

With Hoarding: Behaviors range from a person' having a cluttered environment to having far too much stuff for the available space. Often renting storage space to hold the overflow.

With Checking: Behaviors include checking to see if a window or door is locked, the oven is turned off and may end up needing to repeat the step many times before being able to move on to something else.

OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder): manifest in a wide variety of ways and end up significantly interfering with one's daily life.

Red Flags

Help is available

If you suspect that you, a family member, a friend or neighbor may be struggling with issues of hoarding here are a few common red flags to consider:

1. If your friend or neighbor routinely avoids having you come inside their home, if you avoid having visitors. ( This occurs to avoid embarrassment or having to explain ones self with excuses such as; "I have been sick", " I have been too busy.... ", etc. )

2. Your friend always wants to meet elsewhere ( Your place, a restaurant, mall or movie theater, etc. )

3. Anxiety or worry may be an ongoing theme in your conversations or interactions

4. You observe many animals in and around the place of work or residence

Of course, there may be other reasons for these patterns to exist, just something to consider. Most people have something they want or need to work on, a trained therapist is there to help not pass judgment.