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10/9/09 Note: HOARDERS Show on A & E -currently casting for season 2 ...

HELP FOR COMPULSIVE HOARDERS

Compulsive hoarding is a very serious problem affecting millions of Americans and their friends and families. But little is known about this disorder, and too often hoarders are misunderstood and can’t find the help they need.

Hoarders on A&E  is casting it’s second season of the groundbreaking documentary television series that sheds much needed light on this complicated and underreported condition.

Each hour long episode will follow two individuals who suffer from this disease thru a crisis situation that is directly caused by their hoarding. We will provide free services for the hoarder which will include but not limited to mental health support, professional organizers, and professional clean up and/or junk removal services. Our goal is to help the hoarder turn their lives around.  If there are other agencies already involved, our goal is to work with them and the Hoarder to come up with the best possible outcome for those afflicted with this illness.  Hoarders chosen to be profiled in this series will also have an “after-care” package that will ensure ongoing mental health and organizational support. Each case will be considered on an individual basis, and services will be tailored to fit individual needs. Our professionals all have experience treating this population and are appropriately trained and credentialed.

We are looking for individuals willing to spend 3-5 days sharing their stories on camera.  We understand that compulsive hoarding is an extremely emotional and difficult disorder, and it is our hope that by sharing the personal stories of our guests it will help others realize they are not alone. We will also share the right way for families and friends to approach a hoarder to, hopefully, avoid dangerous living environments.

What we are looking for:

Whatever your crisis, whatever your story, we are interested in listening.
http://www.aetv.com/hoarders/ or call us at 206-767-1804

November, 2009:

Discovery Studios, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc., is producing a new series of hour-long documentary style shows about hoarding, which will air on TLC.  We are currently recruiting people who would like to participate.

If you or someone in your life is chronically disorganized, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you. The goal of the series is to promote better understanding of why people hoard, what steps can be taken to deal with the issue, and how a comprehensive exploration of this common problem can lead to positive change for the people involved.

We understand the very personal and sometimes embarrassing nature of this issue.  Our series will treat all program participants with respect and compassion. 

For those willing to participate, we will offer assistance with finding licensed therapists as well as professional organizers who can offer support.

If you or someone you know is interested in discussing the project further, please contact:

Email: amy_doyle@discovery.com
Phone: 240-662-4132

Note: Original Show aired on 10/5/09 on TLC, "Hoarders: Buried Alive."

10/7/09:
An Exploratory Study to Examine Compulsive Hoarding in Children and Adolescents
University of TN

The aim of this study is to develop a better understanding of the onset and the clinical features of
compulsive hoarding in children and adolescents. According to the limited research available on
compulsive hoarding, onset of compulsive hoarding begins in childhood, and hoarding behaviors
become more severe with age. Treatment with adults has demonstrated that compulsive hoarding is
more resistant to traditional interventions such as medication and exposure and response prevention
therapy. Very little is currently known about children and adolescents who struggle with this condition.
Therefore, we are currently conducting a cross-sectional research study for information that will build
our knowledge base to improve intervention strategies.

Your child must be between the ages of 8-18 and have some symptoms of obsessive compulsive
behaviors with hoarding. All participants will be administered a screening instrument to determine
eligibility. Both the child/adolescent and one parent must be willing to participate in telephone
interviews.

If eligible, participants will participate in data collection through telephone survey. The participating
parent will be interviewed first by phone. Parents will complete a demographic questionnaire, an
inventory, and a timeline about their child/adolescent’s behaviors. Children/adolescents will complete
two inventories about their obsessive compulsive and hoarding behaviors. It is expected that the parent
and child/adolescent interviews will take approximately 20-30 minutes each. Participant families will be
compensated with a $20 gift card to WalMart.

To participate in this study or for further information, please contact David Dia, PhD, LCSW, CCBT at the
University of Tennessee at (901) 448-4431, or email him at ddia@utk.edu. This study is approved by the
University IRB.

10/7/09: Animal Hoarding Show Casting Notice

I’m a producer with England’s ITV Studios, and we are currently seeking participants for a new documentary-style series for Animal Planet. The show will examine the disorder of animal hoarding and profile the people and families affected by it. If you, a relative, friend, neighbor or loved one are dealing with a compulsive animal hoarding situation and are willing to share your story on camera, we would like to hear from you.

We do not want to showcase hoarders who are being intentionally abusive, but pet owners who know they need help. Potential storylines could include several scenarios, such as:

1) A compulsive animal hoarder who is now faced with an ultimatum (eviction, divorce, or having to give up some or all of their animals) because of their need to hoard animals.

2) Individuals who hoard animals as companions – just as some people hoard belongings – but who have just taken on more than they can financially or emotionally handle. The pet owners may not believe they have a problem or consider themselves a hoarder, but their family is concerned the animals are becoming a burden. 

3) A person who may be a compulsive hoarder and, in addition, owns several animals, which have become their emotional lifeline as they have isolated themselves from friends and family.

4) A person who has what their family members and friends consider a unique or possibly eccentric relationship with their pet(s), which they believe could be a detriment to their loved one’s well-being.

Understandably, this can be a difficult topic for those afflicted with compulsive animal hoarding. Our hope is that by sharing the stories of willing participants, others suffering in silence will realize they are not alone. If you would like to find out more about the show, please contact our producers via email at animalshowcasting@yahoo.com. Please write us a brief description of your situation and include a phone number where you can be reached so we can speak in confidence. The show is currently in the early stages of production, so the exact content of the show is subject to change.

Thank you for your time and consideration, and thank you to the organizers of www.childrenofhoarders.com for allowing us to post this inquiry.

To request your information posted here

Please be so kind as to notify us when you no longer need participants for your projects so we may keep our site updated. Thank you.