Do your friends and loved ones have a lot of stuff?Are you wondering if they might suffer from a problem with obsessive-compulsive disorder?According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, there is a distinct mental disorder called Compulsive hoarding.People with a disorder show a lot of the same characteristics.You can watch for these signs and try to judge by the DSM-5 criteria.
Step 1: There are a lot of cluttered living spaces.
Difficulty getting rid of possessions leads to a cluttered and sometimes uninhabitable house.The items may include clothing, newspapers, junk mail, toys, books, garbage, or extra napkins from a restaurant.The counter-tops to tables and sinks, stove, stairways, and beds are some of the items that can have items cluttered everywhere.Not being able to cook in the kitchen can result in some rooms being unusable.When space in the house runs out, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder may start to accumulate items in other places.
Step 2: Look for unsanitary conditions.
It can be hard for people with a disorder to clean.unsanitary conditions in the home can be created by their drive to collect items and distress about throwing things out.There is a chance that something is wrong.People with a disorder may allow food and trash to build up.It can rot and cause bad odors in the home.The owner doesn't want to get rid of the food in the fridge.Some people with a disorder may collect trash.They may allow newspapers, magazines, and junk mail to pile up.
Step 3: There is a lack of organization.
There is a lack of organization in people who have a disorder.Collections are not normally cluttered and do not impair one's living conditions.People who collect coins and stamps do not organize items in this way because they don't want them to fall into the wrong hands.People with a disorder that causes them to accumulate a lot of things have trouble organizing them.Underinclusion is a pattern of thinking that affects grouping similar items together.A person with a mental illness may have a hard time making a single group for yarn or grouping it by color.He will create separate groups for each and every item, with each item seen as unique.
Step 4: Don't forget to watch for animals.
40% of people with a disorder are also animal obsessives.The person has a need to collect and care for animals, usually cats or dogs, but ends up with so many that he becomes overwhelmed.Animals are often neglected or abused when the person has good intentions.A lot of animals can live in a single house.They look for new animals, check shelters and adoption websites, and search alleys for strays.The health of the animals may be related to numbers.People who have a lot of animals have trouble caring for them.The animals may be under extreme stress.Sometimes animals die and are not found.
Step 5: It's important to watch for over-attachment to objects.
It comes from a conscious effort to save things, not just passively allowing items to build up over time.There are many reasons for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder to collect and keep objects.They might not want to be wasteful, they may have sentimental attachment to the items, or they might think that items in their possesion will come in handy someday.The over-attachment is caused by all of this.People with a disorder may be reluctant to let other people touch or borrow their possessions.They may be upset by the idea of getting rid of items.Their perceived need to save things is related to this distress.About 80% to 90% of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder are alsoquisitive, which means that they not only keep items but also acquire things for which there is no need or room.
Step 6: It's a good idea to observe distress at having to part with stuff.
A cache of items is a protective shell for a person with a mental illness.Even though there is proof to the contrary, they can be in a state of denial.The thought of getting rid of items can cause distress.When an object is only moved, some people will go into a panic.They will quickly rebuild, sometimes within months, if they interpret pressure to clean as a personal violation.A non-sufferer sees that there are rooms and beds that can be used and meals that are cooked.A person with a disorder that makes them treat their home like a storage facility instead of a living space.
Step 7: There are correlations with disorders.
Compulsive hoarding can occur on its own.It develops with other mental or behavioral issues.You should watch out for these patterns in your loved ones.Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are some of the disorders that may be associated with Hoarding.Prader-Willi syndrome is an eating disorder that causes people to want to eat things that are not usually eaten, such as dirt or hair.
Step 8: Ask for a psychological evaluation.
Mental health professionals will need to do a full evaluation of the person in question in order to diagnose obsessive-compulsive disorder.They will ask the person questions about getting rid of objects and her mental well-being.These questions will relate to the behaviors associated with the disorder.Mental health providers can ask the person about her psychological state to see if she shows symptoms of other disorders.They can ask family members and friends questions if they have permission.
Step 9: Assess according to the DSM-5 criteria.
The DSM-5 has six criteria for a mental disorder.If you use these criteria, you can determine if someone has a mental illness.She is probably diagnosable if she meets the criteria in full.The first four criteria are related to the behavior of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder.Their difficulty is due to a perceived need to save and distress that they feel when they discard them.The result of this difficulty is the large amount of objects that accumulate in the living areas of the person's home.Keeping a safe living space is one of the effects of Hoarding, which causes significant distress and impairment in social, occupational, and other areas of life.
Step 10: Don't make sure the behavior is caused by another issue.
The last two criteria of the DSM-5 state that a person's behavior can't be due to other medical conditions or be better explained as symptoms of another mental disorder.There are things like brain injuries and Prader-Willi syndrome.Problems with the brain's functioning can cause people with neurodegenerative disorders to have obsessive tendencies.Doctors will have to make sure that this is not the reason for the behavior.Mild cognitive disability is a result of Prader-Willi syndrome.It can also include obsessive behavior.Doctors should make sure that the depression doesn't cause the objects to accumulate.Hoarding is not passive.