PARK HILLS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com)—
Thanks, in part to the popularity of shows about hoarding on cable TV, the problem is getting much attention these days. The problem is considered a mental illness, and typically manifests itself by an individual collecting excessive amounts of often useless material, sometimes even trash, often to the point of making rooms in their home inaccessible.Although it was at one time considered related to, and treated in the same way as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, today hoarding can be addressed through Cognitive Behavior therapy. As an example, at the St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, hoarders are taken to malls for "non-shopping" sprees, in which they gradually learn the ability to walk past stores without feeling the compulsion to buy something.
The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, based in St. Louis, uses a 1 to 5 scale to rate hoarding, so professional organizers can asses whether a client needs therapy or just help decluttering their home.
Now, doctors are noticing what they call "cyberhoarding" which is characterized by people who can't stop storing information. While cyberhoarding is not usually a space problem, it can be just as devastating to a person's life as hoarding objects, because it eats up tremendous amounts of time.
