Andi
09-29-04, 07:48 PM
Posted on Tue, Sep. 28, 2004
ASK DR. SEAN
Hoarding is a mental malady
By DR. SEAN KENNIFF
Q: Is being a ''pack rat'' a psychological illness?
A: Pathological hoarding, or compulsive collecting, is usually considered a symptom of mental illness and not a discreet syndrome. According to Dr. Rafael Rivas-Vasquez, a psychiatrist at Baptist Hospital, the problem is closely tied to anxiety.
''Pathological hoarding is a compulsion meant to prevent a person from feeling anxiety, because they think they are going to need this specific item at some point,'' he said.
Although it can occur in isolation, pathological hoarding is most often related to OCD, the obsessive-compulsive disorder. The condition has also been associated with schizophrenia, tic disorders and bipolar depression. Some studies have found compulsive collectors may have decreased activity in key brain areas. Others have suggested a possible link to the brain chemical dopamine.
Rivas-Vasquez says though there is no specific test, the best way to diagnose pathological hoarders is by their behavior: Unlike simple collectors, they often collect things that have little purpose or sentimental value.
''A simple collector tends not to be excessive,'' he said, ``Simple collectors tend not to be irrational, and collecting usually does not get in the way of the person's overall level of functioning.''
Psychiatric medications can help minimize the compulsions that drive pathological hoarding, but a combined approach of medication plus behavioral therapy seems to yield the best results.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/health/9770284.htm?1c
ASK DR. SEAN
Hoarding is a mental malady
By DR. SEAN KENNIFF
Q: Is being a ''pack rat'' a psychological illness?
A: Pathological hoarding, or compulsive collecting, is usually considered a symptom of mental illness and not a discreet syndrome. According to Dr. Rafael Rivas-Vasquez, a psychiatrist at Baptist Hospital, the problem is closely tied to anxiety.
''Pathological hoarding is a compulsion meant to prevent a person from feeling anxiety, because they think they are going to need this specific item at some point,'' he said.
Although it can occur in isolation, pathological hoarding is most often related to OCD, the obsessive-compulsive disorder. The condition has also been associated with schizophrenia, tic disorders and bipolar depression. Some studies have found compulsive collectors may have decreased activity in key brain areas. Others have suggested a possible link to the brain chemical dopamine.
Rivas-Vasquez says though there is no specific test, the best way to diagnose pathological hoarders is by their behavior: Unlike simple collectors, they often collect things that have little purpose or sentimental value.
''A simple collector tends not to be excessive,'' he said, ``Simple collectors tend not to be irrational, and collecting usually does not get in the way of the person's overall level of functioning.''
Psychiatric medications can help minimize the compulsions that drive pathological hoarding, but a combined approach of medication plus behavioral therapy seems to yield the best results.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/health/9770284.htm?1c