Do you, or someone you know, suffer from a compulsion to hoard?
Has your hoarding begun to affect your life and relationships?
Are rooms in your house unusable because you're simply unable to throw anything away?

Crackit Productions would like to highlight the struggles many sufferers face by making a new documentary for Channel 5 that will sensitively explore hoarding as a medical condition. It will delve into causes and symptoms, and discuss how sufferers and their family can find the much needed help that's out there.

If you've been affected by hoarding, and would like help from experts in this condition, we would very much like to talk to you in confidence about the new programme. Please get in touch: kate.wilson@crackitproductions.co.uk or +44 207 612 3311. Please note, all calls/emails are confidential.

Hi

I have now launched the online questionnaire. The link is https://qtrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6mPZz12ixwQ5C0B. The questionnaire should take around 10-15 minutes to complete.

Thankyou for your continued support in my research.

Best wishes

Christina Cooper

Hi

Thanks for replying. There are one or two UK forums I think, I will check the ones I use and get back to you. I will be setting up and online questionnaire in the next 2 weeks. I will post the link as soon as it is ready to go.

Christina

Hi Christina,

I am also based in the UK and have this embarrassing problem (we english don't like to discuss). We need to get a UK based discussion group going and was wondering if you would like to discuss further.

Best of luck with your project. Sound great.

Hi

I am working to a deadline but final hand in is not until August. I'm based in the UK. Finding experts in hoarding in the UK is something I have had trouble with myself. It would be great if you could answer some of the questions. I'm also considering setting up an online survey which I will post the link to on here

Thank you

Christina

You are most welcome, Christina, & thank YOU for your compassionate interest in this oft neglected & misunderstood condition.
I agree with Tillie re: access to supportive forum links (like this one & http://www.childrenofhoarders.com/)
I will look back at your earlier post, which included many specific questions, & would be happy to take a crack at them.

A couple of quick questions...

1. Are you working on a deadline?
(So, I know how quickly I need to reply to those other questions.)

2. You mentioned Newcastle -- Is your university in the US, UK, or elsewhere?
(The reason I ask, is that a new person living in the UK has just joined these message boards & is working hard to find local professionals who specialize in Hoarding issues -- thought you might be a potential resource.)

Thanks, again, for your work -- really appreciate it! :)

Hi Anne

Thank you for your post. These suggestions are great!

Christina

I am interested in this idea -- & in fact was just recently searching to see if any free SmartPhone app's exist for tracking decluttering/hoarding remediation progress. I have decades of trial & error experience(from first helping my father w/ his hoarding & now myself). I have found my SmartPhone & laptop extremely helpful b/c I can take before & after pictures, journal, (Now Message Board Post & Connect w/ Support on this site!:) & track myself better. Biggest Bonus: All w/o creating additional clutter/hoard in my living space!
I would suggest including some version of easy self-assessment scales (like those found in the book "Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, & Hoarding" by Tolin, Frost, & Steketee.) I also think that ability for the app to convert the user's daily data input into a monthly graph report, & the ability to email all data to one's main computer, supportive friends, &/or doctors/therapists is an important component. (There's a free Mood Tracker App w/ these features if you want to look at a model. eMoodTracker 2012 -- info@emoodtracker.com -- It was created "by a 3rd party w/ inspiration from free & publicly available Mass. General Hospital Bipolar Clinic & Research Program mood chart copyright G.S. Sachs, M.D. 1993)
Hope the above info proves helpful. Glad to hear this need is being addressed & good luck with your work!

Hi
Sorry I haven't responded for a couple of days, its exam time!
Here are a few of the questions we are hoping to answer from this research:
Could you tell me a little bit about hoarding from your perspective as a service user/carer (or relative)/practitioner?
What factors are most instrumental in changing hoarding behaviour?
What support is currently available? Any issues? (accessing services/at home support/cost/adherence)
Are self-help interventions available? Are there other apps? Are they used?
Would you potentially use/recommend a self-help intervention?
Would a self-help intervention, such as a mobile smart phone application be a useful tool in providing additional support?
What would service users/practitioners like to see in this type of support tool?
Would contact with clinician be beneficial in terms of patient contact, confidence, success, financial cost and so on?
What are the potential barriers that would limit or prevent the use of the tool?
Feedback we have received so far:
Daily reminders
Checklists
Shopping list
Quote of the day
Information
Tests to identify areas of focus specific to individual
Daily/Weekly/Monthly activities
Random tasks
A timer for timed decluttering sessions
Use of camera for photo/video diary of progress
Diary
Emotional support..............to name but a few of them.

Hi Diane

Thanks for posting. I am keeping an open mind about the platforms on which an intervention or support took can be delivered. While my initial project is to deliver a smartphone application, if we can build a strong enough model of a hoarders experiences and needs then perhaps we would able to develop the tool in computer and paper formats also (perhaps a handbook). Therefore I am still interested to here from anyone about what would be useful in supporting people through their hoarding issues.

"Do you think it would be useful if the app had a link to forums or support sites?"

Yes I do think that would be very helpful.
Reaching out to others, speaking freely, asking for and giving help to each other is very important in working through all these challenges.

Do you think it would be useful if the app had a link to forums or support sites?

I think this site is so helpful, giving encouragement to improve our situation, and how to do it. I have gone to therapists, who never treated hoarding, with little improvement. I have read every book at library, then bought my favorite, buried in treasures, and learned as much as I could. I have been on this site for 5 weeks, and have worked on cleaning, organizing, tossing stuff and have stopped acquiring more stuff. I was addicted to the high of shopping. I think someday there will be more support groups for hoarders, but none in my area at this time.

Hi

My name is Christina Cooper. I am a postgraduate student at Newcastle university. I am currently researching self help interventions designed to support those with hoarding issues. I would like the development of the intervention to be driven by service users and clinicians to give the best insight into what is needed. Please use this thread to have your say. Thanks.