510- Clearing the Chaos: ADHD-Informed Strategies for Tackling Clutter and Hoarding
Jul 9, 2024
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Dr. Tompkins discusses clutter and hoarding in relation to ADHD, offering practical strategies. Topics include understanding clutter vs. hoarding, challenges in executive function skills, cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques, handling sentimental items, decluttering with ADHD, and strategies for managing both ADHD and hoarding tendencies.
Hoarding disorder involves excessive acquiring and difficulty discarding items, while clutter from ADHD stems from cognitive challenges like decision-making and task initiation.
Effective intervention for clutter and hoarding includes techniques such as modifying environments, time-management strategies, and developing organizational systems.
Deep dives
Understanding Clutter vs. Hoarding
Clutter is a common feature in living spaces, but when disorganization compromises health and safety, hoarding disorder could be a factor. Dr. Tompkins discusses how traits related to ADHD contribute to excessive clutter and hoarding, emphasizing the distress and disruption significant clutter can cause in daily life.
Differentiating Hoarding Behavior from Hoarding Disorder
While hoarding behavior may be present in various medical or psychological conditions, hoarding disorder involves difficulties discarding objects, excessive acquiring, and accumulating possessions that clutter living areas. The distinction lies in the intensity and impact of hoarding behaviors on an individual's daily functioning.
Cognitive Factors in Clutter and Hoarding Disorder
Individuals with hoarding disorder and ADHD often face challenges related to information processing, categorization, decision-making, and task initiation. These cognitive intricacies contribute to difficulties in managing clutter, organization, and overall daily tasks.
Strategies for Managing Clutter and Hoarding Tendencies
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offers effective intervention for both hoarding disorder and ADHD. Techniques such as modifying environments to reduce distractions, implementing time-management strategies like the Pomodoro technique, and developing systems to prioritize and organize tasks can help individuals tackle clutter and maintain organizational systems over time.
A cluttered, disorganized living environment is as common as it is unsettling for many people who have ADHD. Michael A. Tompkins, Ph.D., helps us understand how to discern clutter versus hoarding and teaches practical strategies to decrease disorganization.
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