Understanding how stress impacts an individual with Hoarding Disorder and how it can be reduced.
Stress has a significant impact on individuals with Hoarding Disorder, not only do general life stresses intensify symptoms and make it more difficult to manage the condition, going through the hoarding support process and regaining their space is a highly stress experience, due to the trauma and emotions that are being worked through. It is extremely beneficial to understand the impact of stress and how to reduce it in order to help support an individual with the condition
Triggers Hoarding Behaviours
Stress often acts as a trigger that exacerbates or can cause hoarding behaviour. During traumatic experiences or life changes stress is often heightened, individuals may feel an increased need to collect and hold onto items as a way to cope with their emotional turmoil. The act of acquiring possessions may provide temporary comfort or a sense of control during times of uncertainty. The emotional connection then makes it even harder to part with items, this is where hoarding behaviour starts or is added too.
A Cycle of stress and clutter
Clutter itself can be a source of stress, not being able to move freely in your home or use rooms for their intended purpose, contributing to feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, and loss of control. This creates a vicious cycle: stress leads to more clutter, which in turn leads to more stress.
Aggravates Co-occurring Mental Health Conditions
92% off individuals with Hoarding Disorder / Behaviour suffer with another co-existing mental health condition, each condition is impacted differently by stress which will be reflected in the persons behaviour. Even if the stressful situation has not triggered the hoarding behaviour itself, how the individual self soothes and copes with the co-existing condition may be through hoarding behaviour, leading to it increasing and being even more challenging to manage.
Impairs Decision-Making
High levels of stress can impair cognitive functions like decision-making and problem-solving, something those with hoarding disorder / behaviour can already suffer with. When stress increases these, it makes it even more challenging to decide what items to keep and what to discard. The fear of making the wrong choice can become overwhelming, leading to a greater reluctance to let go of possessions.
Ways to limit the impacts of stress
With a clear understanding of how stress impacts individuals with hoarding disorder/behaviour, it will enable those who support them to work on reducing the impact it has. Find our top tips below, a copy of this leaflet can be downloaded HERE
Still want to learn more?
Join us at our next CPD Accredited Hoarding Awareness training to learn all about the condition, supportive engagement and supportive intervention.
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