OCD Action

Cuthbert ffoliott
Moderator

Hi everyone -

I am wondering: hoarding is often seen and described as being unable to discard useless objects. Or on a somewhat higher level: as being unable to determine whether any given object should, or should not be discarded (i.e. whether that object is useful or useless). I myself fall into the latter category, it is in fact the checking procedure (useful? useless?) that makes throwing something away that is so vexing.

Now to my question (only applicable to fellow hoarders): did you ever feel comfortable in living in a room filled with all kinds of stuff? I mean: stuff that others don't accumulate? Did it feel a bit like: cosy, warm, it's 'my own material'? Or even like: hey, I really know my way around in this strange maze, I don't trip over things, he he?

If I get some answers I'll reveal what I hope to test by these questions. If you rather answer by PM, please do so.

Tks in advance, Cuthbert.

Fri Mar 12 2010 18:09:28 #
Truddles
Member

Hoarding, a question as to it's function

To fill an otherwise empty space?

Fri Mar 12 2010 18:43:44 #
Cuthbert ffoliott
Moderator

Haha, that is funny -

perhaps. Perhaps you know that some experts proposed to take hoarding out of the 'proper OCD' diagnosis. I find that a moot point of debate. While reading a lot of stuff on hoarding, I recognized two distinct patterns: the first is hoarding because of not being sure whether an object will be valuable, meaningful in the future (e.g. a paperclip, a receipt for some household appliance, an old pen, you name it); and hoarding because of being intensely fearful to throw something away that may contains something of real (think for instance: emotional) value. I clearly have the latter, and it's obviously linked closely to my checking compulsion. In my worst times, I needed hours before being able to decide that a little stack of old newspapers could be discarded ('did I check the stack right? Am I absolutely sure there's not a lovely photo, or some diploma of mine, hidden in there somewhere'). That was hellish.
As far as I know the first form of hoarding is pure hoarding, and the second one is a checking obsession in disguise (haven't come across in in the literature, will consult an expert whether my division in two forms is valid.

Oh, em, and, em, I will reveal my nice little 'theory' not yet.

Cuthbert.

Sat Mar 13 2010 15:36:54 #
Truddles
Member

Hi,

Pleased to have made you chuckle

Trudy

Sat Mar 13 2010 16:42:22 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Cuthbert,

I'm the same as you frightened of throwing things out for fear of throwing out anything important. I'm even afraid of throwing out the household rubbish for the same reason

Trudy

Sat Mar 13 2010 19:04:42 #
Cuthbert ffoliott
Moderator

Well Trudy -

that makes two of us then. I too have deep fears when throwing away household rubbish. Even though the worries have diminished somewhat, I sometimes still think: did I throw a book, a CD, or a money bill in the garbage can whilst sleepwalking? Should I go trough all the rubbish again? (I did, in fact, many times).

Ciao, Cuthbert.

Sun Mar 14 2010 9:35:40 #