We've all either heard about, or know, someone whose home is filled with things they have no use for, but won't, or can't, discard. When taken to the extreme, this is a part of hoarding disorder. While hoarding is a word that is thrown around in our common vernacular (such as people hoarding toilet paper early in this pandemic), there is more to hoarding than what most people know. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Mary Dozier discuss what hoarding is, how it can manifest itself, and what we currently know about hoarding disorder.

Key Takeaways:

Unlike many psychiatric disorders, hoarding disorder actually tends to worsen as we get older.
People tend to hoard the same things that most people hold on to, just in greater quantities.
One of the primary reasons that people seek out treatment is often that people want to be able to have other people to their homes.

"Having attachments to objects, by itself, isn't necessarily problematic. The problem begins when the attachment is so great, and the number of objects is so many, that the individual is unable to go about their daily lives." — Dr. Mary Dozier

Connect with Dr. Mary Dozier:

Professional Bio: psychology.msstate.edu/people/mary-dozier

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Twitter: @CritiSpeak

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

118 Are You or Do You Know a Hoarder?