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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Usually Hoards, Cannot Convince Otherwise If An Idea Occurs In Mind. How To Resolve This ?

I have a friend whose mother hoards but is also displaying some different types of behaviors. I am just trying to find out if some of these behaviors are also common amongst people who hoard. One of the recent complaints that my friend has expressed is that once his mother gets an idea in her head about something there is no convincng her otherwise. He expressed that she told his sister that she had hid some money in her basement and is now unable to find it. She is convinced that he has gone into her home and taken the money since he has a set of keys to her home. The hoardind she does would make it impossible for anyone to enter the home and go into the basement to find the money without literally removing item by item just to get in and move around. A second incident has occurred where again she gets an idea in her head and no one or nothing can convince her otherwise. Almost like a paranoia
Tue, 19 Feb 2013
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
Hello gemini671
thanks for your question
Hoarding is one of important symptoms of Obsessvie compulsive disorder in a significant strata of population, compulsive hoarding is very anxiety provoking to patient as well as to care givers. It is characterized by inability to discard items and individuals suffering from hoarding tend to store the items and they even some times do not let others to know this, due to fear of embarrassment. It is a part of OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE SPECTRUM disorder. Mostly the patients of hoarding also show other features of OC disorder like orderliness, cleanness, magical thinking, compulsive hand washing, obsession of doubt etc. In more than 50% of cases depression is also associated. And in a few cases paranoid ideation may be seen as your friend is observing in his mother. It may be persecutory delusion against any one or some times other delusional ideas like she is having. Her fixed firm belief about money is part of associated psychotic symptoms. In rare cases of Psyhcosis hoarding or obsessions or compulsions may be presenting symptoms thank frank delusions alone.
Best thing to resolve it is first of all try to reassure her, once she is ready to talk then try to give her evidence to contrary and see whether her belief is still fixed? If she is a little shakable and ready to accept that she might be wrong then further strengthen the evidence.
If thats not possible then take advise of some good psychiatrist for further management of her psychotic symptoms
thanks, all the best
hope i solved your query
kindly rate
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Usually Hoards, Cannot Convince Otherwise If An Idea Occurs In Mind. How To Resolve This ?

Hello gemini671 thanks for your question Hoarding is one of important symptoms of Obsessvie compulsive disorder in a significant strata of population, compulsive hoarding is very anxiety provoking to patient as well as to care givers. It is characterized by inability to discard items and individuals suffering from hoarding tend to store the items and they even some times do not let others to know this, due to fear of embarrassment. It is a part of OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE SPECTRUM disorder. Mostly the patients of hoarding also show other features of OC disorder like orderliness, cleanness, magical thinking, compulsive hand washing, obsession of doubt etc. In more than 50% of cases depression is also associated. And in a few cases paranoid ideation may be seen as your friend is observing in his mother. It may be persecutory delusion against any one or some times other delusional ideas like she is having. Her fixed firm belief about money is part of associated psychotic symptoms. In rare cases of Psyhcosis hoarding or obsessions or compulsions may be presenting symptoms thank frank delusions alone. Best thing to resolve it is first of all try to reassure her, once she is ready to talk then try to give her evidence to contrary and see whether her belief is still fixed? If she is a little shakable and ready to accept that she might be wrong then further strengthen the evidence. If thats not possible then take advise of some good psychiatrist for further management of her psychotic symptoms thanks, all the best hope i solved your query kindly rate