Antisocial Behaviour & Hoarding Disorder

Hoarding Disorder is a mental health condition, not an act antisocial behaviour

Hoarding Disorder is a complex mental health condition, it often occurs after an individual has experienced a traumatic event or gone through something life changing, the excessive amount of items they hold onto is not a habit or choice, it is a coping mechanism. Although over the last ten years there has been a massive increase in education and awareness around the condition, there is unfortunately still a lot of unwanted stigma attached in wider society, Due to it being a visible disorder, most people are blindsided by this over understanding the individual and their experiences, leading to them being labelled as lazy or dirty which in turn can often result in becoming the victims of antisocial behaviour.

The most common forms of ASB individuals with Hoarding Disorder are affected by

• Intimidation/Harassment
• Verbal Abuse 
• Vandalism
• Threats of violence
• This list is not exhaustive, we know some suffer from Domestic Abuse 

Hoarding Disorder is a very misunderstood condition, added to by the media continuing to portray the subject in such a negative manner, it results in society dissociating it even further from a mental health concern. Some see it as the individual is simply happy to live in poor conditions and has full control over what they are doing.This could not be further from the truth. 

This narrative that is constantly thrown around can cause the individual with Hoarding Disorder to become targeted as the perpetrator, not just by other members of the public, but by organisations too. Although understanding on the disorder in professional fields is changing rapidly, there are still a lot of industries and organisations who come in contact with a hoarded property and focus entirely on the items, and home situation, over the person living there.

It is not uncommon for the behaviour to actually be reported as antisocial behaviour if neighbouring properties feel they are being affected by the situation, and unfortunately due to the lack of professional understanding on the condition from organisations who manage and are involved in these ASB cases, the individual is left with no support for their mental health and is now even less likely to engage when real help is offered.

When hoarding is treated as antisocial behaviour, instead of a mental health concern, it usually leads to – 

• Long term recurrence of the disorder / home conditions
• Eviction of the property 
• The actual cause of the hoarding being dismissed or not even picked up on

The law and proceedings often come first instead of the person when hoarding is dealt with as a case of ASB, which results in high levels of failure. Hoarding disorder is not a crime, so if treated as one, it will absolutely not change anything other than cause further traumatisation to the individual involved. The behaviour must be addressed in a mindful and empathetic manner, with support and treatment offered the same as any other mental health condition, just because you can see the impact of hoarding does not mean it is any different to depression or anxiety.

Helping reduce hoarding cases being picked up as ASB

The best way to approach any case of Hoarding is with a compassionate and emphatic manner.

The person is never the items they hold on to, they are an individual who has gone through a life event which resulted in seeking comfort in a way that worked for them, they might not even be aware of the reason why this behaviour manifested until support systems offer them a safe place to explore and process. Three key to successfully supporting clients with hoarding behaviours –

• SUPPORTIVE INTERVENTION – A set of principles and compassionate strategies created to minimise harmful consequences of high risk behaviours
• EMOTIONAL SUPPORT – Work to build trust, listen to hear rather than listen to answer. Staying calm and patient is key, as it is not a quick support process
• MULTIAGENCY APPROACHES – Ensuring that everybody involved is on the same page is crucial in ensuring you get the best outcome

Agencies who can support 

Key industries who should already have systems in place to support individuals with hoarding disorder using a person centred approach that focuses on them and not the items-

• Adult & Children’s Safeguarding Boards
• Community Safety Teams
• Health Practitioners    
• Fire & Rescue Services   
• Charitable & voluntary organisations within your locality 

Impact of the Care Act 2014

Section 42 of the Care Act 2014 requires that each local authority must make enquiries (or cause others to do so) if it believes an adult is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect. When an allegation about abuse or neglect has been made, an enquiry is undertaken to find out what, if anything, has happened. This means that even if a case is not severe enough to be managed under Adult Safeguarding, that they have a duty of care to offer guidance for next steps and put you into contact with services that can help.

Discuss this topic in person, ask your questions and together we will sort it

Sharon McLoughlin, Consultant/Trainer for Community Safety, ASB & Housing, will be hosting a seminar focused around understanding how individuals with hoarding disorder are often victims of ASB, yet often get labeled as the perpetrator, and what we can do to break this cycle.

On 18/11/2024   /   Cloudsend CIC   /   Leave a comment