Tag hoarding

Obsessed by possessions

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Obsessed by possessions

 

 

It is reckoned that one in 20 people now struggle with the obsession of acquiring possessions. I’m sure you would have seen the pictures, in the national press and programs on popular television, in which people’s houses become so overrun by possessions, so much so, it has become impossible for them to move around in, their own home, due to their inability to let go of, what some my considered to be rubbish.

Hoarding is nothing new

 

This is nothing new, in fact, Dante commented on this in his book the Inferno, written in 1300. In fact, Dante called hoarding the sin of greed; illustrating this in his book, by talking about a pair of souls, which are interlinked into one, grotesque creature. One portion who has hoarded all of life, the other one wasted all of life. Join together, in hell. One side gathers coins, whilst the other constantly spews out coins from his chest. The creature also has a gold mace that it can swing around in a circle, and defend itself, when it feels threatened.

What the scientists say about hoarding

Hoarding is only just been differentiated between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Studies of brain activity carried out by David Tolin at Yale University, School of medicine, asked participants in his research to hold an object they owned and decide whether they could throw it away. Unlike people with OCD, hoarders show over activity in the anterior cingulate and the insular cortex, areas of the brain; these areas help people make decisions whether something is important, relevant or salient.

This manifests itself as a form of perfectionism, if you have seen any of the reality TV shows on television you may find it hard to believe that, hoarding is a form of perfectionism; reality TV shows will often show years of decaying rubbish, such as papers and magazines, that the hoarder will not throw out.

Tolin, comments that to think of a hoarder is a perfectionist is counterintuitive, to what we normally think, but it in a way makes perfect sense.

Hoarding happens in many civilisations

 

Hoarding does not limit itself to Western civilisation, hoarding actually exists in virtually every civilisation.

If you need help Eleos counselling can help

If you, or anybody close to you, has any of the symptoms of hoarding, then may be psychotherapy and counselling can help.

If you would like to click on the link below to be taken to the Eleos counselling main website, where you will find more information.

Link to  web site 

 

Diogenes syndrome : a symptom of dementia or loneliness?

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hoarding_eleoscounsellingA  recent article in the Daily Express spoke of a lady who had lived for three decades in a battered car, in a South London residential street. The lady in question Anne  Naysmith, recently died after being hit by a car, close to her home. It transpired that Anne Naysmith had been a talented concert pianist who had been suffering from Diogenes syndrome. This is mental illness, named after the Greek philosopher Diogenes of Sinope, who cast off material things in favour of  living  in a large jar in Athens.

A person with Diogenes syndrome has many idiosyncratic characteristics, one of which can be hoarding. As with Anne Naysmith, Diogenes syndrome is often associated with extreme self-neglect, causing the person to become socially withdrawn, furthermore, sufferers of Diogenes Syndrome, will also have a compulsion to hoard rubbish, which can add to the social isolation.

It is thought that long periods of social isolation, which causes lack of cognitive stimulation, or a genetic precondition may be the cause of this syndrome. An additional factor which is also thought to cause the syndrome is a traumatic life event. In the case of Anne Naysmith, it was thought that the breakup of her relationship with a handsome choral singer induced some of the behaviours which she had to her death.

For the family members of someone suffering with Diogenes syndrome, it can be difficult seeing someone living in extreme squalor. Furthermore, for those who are left to sort through years of squalid living.

With the biggest charity in Britain today announcing three centres of medical research, one in, Oxford, one in Cambridge and one at Kings College London. These three centres will be dedicated in trying to find a medical solution for dementia.  It is well known that Early-onset dementia will become more prevalent , in Great Britain as the  population becomes older.

Increasingly, people are becoming more and lonelier and social stimulation, is something that people crave for.  One can only wonder whether , if Anne  Naysmith had received the right amount of support, in the form of psychotherapy, after the break of the relationship, whether the outcome for her would of been different.