All In The Mind Radio Show About Hoarding-BBC Radio 4
10/28/2003

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HOARDING

There is a dividing line between those of us who collect a lot of possessions and those that hoard obsessively and find it increasingly difficult to throw anything away. Hoarding is classed as a form of OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and it’s attracting renewed interest from psychologists and psychiatrists.

Many hoarders often suffer from it without realising they have a problem. Usually the condition goes unnoticed until the person faces eviction or action by a local health department. But those who are compulsive hoarders can become incapacitated and disabled by their lifestyle they become disorganised lives are isolated and socialising becomes a problem

Dr Raj Persaud visits the home of one hoarder, Sheree and speaks to Satwant Singh, a nurse consultant in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at Newham Primary Care Trust who specialises in treating hoarding.  Listen here.  (Note from COH:  It takes about 2 mins. to get to hoarding part of program/hoarding part lasts about 15 minutes)