Hoarding Research Paper - 1425 Words

COM 102-037/Mrs. Grisolano Research Paper April 29, 2013 Hoarding: Buried Alive Until a few years ago, a lady who was known to collect cats would have been called â€Å"the crazy cat lady.† Houses that were filled with endless amounts of stuff were referred to as â€Å"cluttered, filthy, or a pen sty.† As of today, those expressions have been replaced with the coined terms: â€Å"hoarder or compulsive hoarding.† What is hoarding? â€Å"Compulsive hoarding is a specific type of behavior marked by acquiring and failing to throw out a large number of items that would appear to have little or no value to others, severe cluttering of the persons home so that it is no longer able to function as a†¦show more content†¦By 1942, Langley collected massive amounts of newspapers, cartons, tin cans and other items. In the process of collecting endless amounts of possessions, he started to not take care of his brother. Autopsies state that Homer’s body was extremely emaciated and dehydrated; it is indicated that he had nothing to drink or eat for at least three days before his death which lead to chronic bronchitis, gangrenous decubital ulcer (bedsore) and pulmonary emphysema. On March 21, 1947, the NYPD received an anonymous call that there was a dead body in the Collyer house. Upon entering, the NYPD discovered the house to be completely filled with rat-infested piles and stacks of junk and trash. Around noon, officers forced open a second-floor window upon which they discovered the dead body of Homer. In the process of cleaning up the house, Langley was nowhere to be found. In total they removed one hundred and three tons of waters before discovering Langley’s body; he had been buried alive under the rubbish. As of right now, compulsive hoarding is considered by many researchers to be a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but to some people compulsive hoarding may also be related to impulsive control disorders, social anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, etc. What causes this mental illness? According to the Department of Psychiatry, compulsive hoarding may be hereditary; up to 85% of people with compulsive hoarding can identify another familyShow MoreRelatedâ€Å"Stuff, Stuff, I Am Surrounded By Stuff.†(Line 1) We Look1267 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Stuff, stuff, I am surrounded by stuff.†(line 1) We look around and all we see are belongings that we might not even use or need. Although we don’t acknowledge it, keeping ties and papers from ten years ago is a characteristic of hoarding. There is just a little hoarder inside all of us. It is part of human nature. The emotional value that we give to objects play the biggest role when deciding to keep or get rid of something. We collect and save some items because it helps us remember the past orRead MoreWhat Policies Affect Elders Who Hoard And Protect Them Against Neglect812 Words   |  4 PagesProtective Services Act. In this paper, I will address how these policies affect elders who hoard and protect them against neglect. Additionally I will address the detection, investigation, and intervention of hoarding, and the gaps in servicers provided to individuals who hoard. Policies Protecting Elder-Neglect Although hoarding, in and of itself, is rarely considered a crime, there are certain situations in which it could be considered elder neglect. Hoarding is typically categorized as self-neglectRead MoreThe Connection Between the Little Mermaid and Hoarding Essays959 Words   |  4 PagesThe Little Mermaid and her Connection with Hoarding Melissa Legault Abnormal Psychology Anthony Smith April 30, 2013 Most children grow up watching Disney movies. It might be shocking to hear that a Disney princess may suffer from a psychological disorder. In Walt Disney’s movie The Little Mermaid, I think the main character Ariel suffers from disposophbia, also known as hoarding. Obsessive-compulsive disorder/hoarding has always interested me. These people take collecting to anRead MoreHoarding And Its Effects On Children1583 Words   |  7 PagesHoarding has gained increased attention in recent years due to recent media television shows depicting the circumstances hoarders may live in. It can be difficult to determine when a person crosses from a simple over collecting behavior into a hoarding behavior. â€Å"Hoarding is a debilitating disorder characterized by the acquisition of a large volume of possessions that clutter living areas to such a degree that living spaces cannot be used of their intended purpose (Frost, Kim, Steketee, 2011).† ManyRead MoreThe Effects Of Hoarding, Traumatic Events, And Material Deprivation2141 Words   |  9 PagesPertusa, Santo, Singh, and Mataix-Cols, looked to investigate the relationship with hoarding, traumatic events, and material deprivation. This study also attempted to distinguish if OCD was a determining fac tor in the prevalence of hoarding. This study hypothesized that hoarders (with or without comorbid OCD) would report higher lifetime frequency of traumatic events than individuals with OCD who do not have hoarding tendencies, but no greater levels of material deprivation. Furthermore, this studyRead MoreHong Kong Housing Problem Is Not Only Attributed to the High Population Density1219 Words   |  5 PagesHong Kong Housing Problem is not only attributed to the High Population Density Every Hong Kong citizen knows one of the grave troubles in Hong Kong is housing problem. The order of severity can be apparently reflected by many figures in recent research studies. †Rents up 22 per cent in Hong Kongâ€Å" (2011) remarks that â€Å"the price of renting two-bedroom accommodation rose by 22% to US$2,830 a month between 2009 and 2010â€Å" ( ¶2). Subcommittee on Building Safety and Related Issues (2010) also observesRead MoreUsing Hoarding Disorder With Person Centered Theory1779 Words   |  8 PagesCounseling Theory and Pathology Paper This paper will describe the nuances of hoarding disorder and investigate the opportunities of treating hoarding disorder with person-centered theory. Hoarding Disorder A picture of hoarding disorder is created through personal interaction and the diagnosis is supported by the DSM V. Picture of Hoarding Disorder My acquaintance was a 65-year old woman who lived with her eldest daughter because the family home stood as an unsafe habitat due to clutter and lackRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder ( Ocd )1602 Words   |  7 Pagesknow about. Many people associate repeated washing of hands, or flicking of switches, and even cleanliness with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), however there are many more symptoms, and there are also explanations for those symptoms. In this paper, I will describe what obsessive compulsive disorder is, explain some of the effects of it, and explain why it happens. I will also attempt to prove that while medication doesn’t cure OCD, it vastly improves one’s quality of life. Furthermore, I intendRead MoreEvaluation Of Group Work : Evaluation1367 Words   |  6 Pagesfactors influenced you picking that number and explain what it would have taken to move you up a half a point up the scale. I would rate Kathi with a 9. I feel like she did an amazing job with the financial aspect of the project and did a lot of research into the amounts and grants. She is also one of the main people responsible for the name of our project. Kathi would also share her knowledge on any of the topics as well. During the presentation, I feel like she was able to share at least some ofRead MoreHoarding Is a Real Disorder Suffered by Real People Essay2403 Words   |  10 PagesMany people know the television shows, Hoarding: Buried Alive, on TLC or Hoarders on AE. These reality TV shows feature hoarders and their families. The crews of the shows follow the hoarder for a few days to study how hoarding affects their daily lives. A professional organizer and a therapist are taken through the house to see what the hoarder collects. The houses are disgusting; many times, there are rodents, cockroaches, stacks of paper and garbage everywhere. The audience is shown interviews