Publications - OCD and Hoarding

One Twin Was Hurt, the Other Was Not. Their Adult Mental Health Diverged., by Ellen Barry, The New York Times, Mar 6 2024.

“Why do twins, who share so many genetic and environmental inputs, diverge as adults in their experience of mental illness? On Wednesday, a team of researchers from the University of Iceland and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden reported new findings on the role played by childhood trauma. Their study of 25,252 adult twins in Sweden, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that those who reported one or more trauma in childhood — physical or emotional neglect or abuse, rape, sexual abuse, hate crimes or witnessing domestic violence — were 2.4 times as likely to be diagnosed with a psychiatric illness as those who did not. If a person reported one or more of these experiences, the odds of being diagnosed with a mental illness climbed sharply, by 52 percent for each additional adverse experience. Among participants who reported three or more adverse experiences, nearly a quarter had a psychiatric diagnosis of depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, substance abuse disorder or stress disorder. To disentangle the effects of these traumas from genetic or environmental factors, the researchers narrowed the pool to “discordant” pairs, in which only one twin reported maltreatment in childhood. An analysis of 6,852 twins from these discordant pairs found that childhood maltreatment was still linked with adult mental illness, though not as strongly as in the full cohort. A twin who reported maltreatment was 1.2 times as likely to suffer from a mental illness as the unaffected twin in identical twin pairs, and 1.7 times as likely in fraternal twin pairs. This effect was especially pronounced among subjects who reported experiencing sexual abuse, rape and physical neglect. ”

10 ways to get mental health help during a therapist shortage, by Lindsey Bever, The Washington Post, Oct 29 2022.

“Anxiety and depression have been on the rise in the United States since the start of the pandemic. This has led to a crisis in mental health that has been worsened by the shortage of mental health counselors.  A significant number of mental health professionals are not accepting new clients. Others have long waiting lists.  The Washington Post asked mental health professionals what advice they would give people who are struggling to find a therapist. About 300 experts from across the country responded with advice on getting an appointment — and tips on what people can do in the meantime to try to help themselves. Here are their recommendations. ”

From Hoarding to Healing in California, by Kelly Davis, US News and World Report, Oct 15 2019.

“It's estimated that around 2% to 6% of the U.S. population suffers from hoarding disorder, which is marked by an inability to discard items of little use or value. Research suggests the number of older adults living with hoarding disorder is actually higher. Changes that come with aging – like cognitive decline, downsizing to a smaller living space, or the loss of a spouse, family member or friend – can trigger or exacerbate hoarding behavior, says Catherine Ayers, an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of California–San Diego who's studied hoarding disorder for 15 years. Hoarding, in turn, can create significant health and safety risks for seniors. Clutter can cause falls or fire hazards. An inaccessible kitchen can lead to problems with nutrition and food contamination. Medications are easily lost. In severe cases, hoarding can lead to eviction and homelessness. ”

Lots of Americans have a fear of flying. There are ways to overcome the anxiety disorder., by Sarah Vander Schaaff , The Washington Post, Oct 12 2019.

“Fear of flying, or aviophobia, is an anxiety disorder. About 40 percent of the general population reports some fear of flying, and 2.5 percent have what is classified as a clinical phobia, one in which a person avoids flying or does so with significant distress.  Fear of flying, according to one overview, is far less studied than other conditions that can be detrimental to relationships and careers such as social anxiety, obsessive compulsive and post-traumatic stress disorders. Little is known about what keeps people afraid even after exposure to successful flights.  ”

Even with insurance, getting mental health treatment is a struggle in Mass., study says, by Liz Kowalczyk, Boston Globe, Dec 11 2018.

“Massachusetts residents who need health care are colliding with a hard reality: Having medical insurance doesn’t guarantee you can get treatment, particularly for psychiatric problems. More than half of adults who sought mental health or addiction treatment in recent months had difficulty getting that care, according to a survey of 2,201 residents by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation in Boston...The obstacle wasn’t a lack of insurance; the vast majority of patients were insured. Rather, the problem was that providers either did not accept their insurance or their practices were closed to new patients. ”

Mental health diagnoses rising among U.S. college students, by Carolyn Crist, Reuters, Nov 1 2018.

“A range of common mental health conditions are being diagnosed more often in U.S. university students, according to a study that also finds students are more willing to seek help than in the past. Based on surveys of more than 450,000 college students at 452 institutions, researchers found that from 2009 to 2015, the proportion who report having a diagnosis or being treated has gone up for anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, insomnia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and panic attacks...The study wasn’t designed to determine why diagnoses might be up or down, the authors caution. The results raise the question of whether college students’ mental health has been deteriorating, or whether it only appears this way because efforts to encourage students to seek help have succeeded, they write. ”

Learning & Memory Problems Begin Early in OCD, by Janice Wood, Psych Central, Jan 22 2018.

“A new study has found that adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have widespread learning and memory problems...The researchers found that adolescent patients with OCD had impairments in all learning and memory tasks. The study also demonstrated for the first time impaired goal-directed control and lack of cognitive plasticity early in the development of OCD, the researchers report. 'While many studies have focused on adult OCD, we actually know very little about the condition in teenagers,' said Dr. Julia Gottwald, the study’s first author. 'Our study suggests that teens with OCD have problems with memory and the ability to flexibly adjust their actions when the environment changes.' ”

An Inner Look into the Minds and Brains of People with OCD, by Simon Mankin, Scientific American, Oct 4 2017.

“"Complex computer modeling demonstrates that obsessive-compulsive disorder patients learn about their environments but don’t use that information to guide their actions" ”

An Inner Look into the Minds and Brains of People with OCD, by Simon Mankin, Scientific American, Oct 4 2017.

“"Complex computer modeling demonstrates that obsessive-compulsive disorder patients learn about their environments but don’t use that information to guide their actions" ”

Brain Inflammation Linked to OCD, by Rick Nauert, PhD, Psych Central, Jun 22 2017.

“A new Canadian brain imaging study finds that brain inflammation is more than 30 percent higher in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD than in people without the condition...'Our research showed a strong relationship between brain inflammation and OCD, particularly in the parts of the brain known to function differently in OCD,' said Dr. Jeffrey Meyer, senior author of the study and Head of the Neuroimaging Program in Mood & Anxiety in CAMH’s Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute. 'This finding represents one of the biggest breakthroughs in understanding the biology of OCD, and may lead to the development of new treatments.' ”

Hoarding Behaviors Worsen With Age, by Anne-Marie Botek, Online , 2017.

“Recent research indicates that hoarding becomes progressively worse with age. Further, there also appears to be relationship between depression and extreme hoarding, which may explain why older adults/elders experience worsening hoarding symptoms, as aging is often accompanied by symptoms congruent with depression. This article explains this association in greater detail and also provides a list of Dos and Don'ts of Treating Hoarding Behavior, specifically in regard to elders.      ”

Understanding Elderly Hoarding - Signs, Causes, and Help, by Sageminder , Online, 2017.

“Overview of Elderly hoarding  and its associated risk factors, signs/ symtoms, and ways in which to best  help someone who is struggling with horading.  ”

In Texting Era, Crisis Hotlines Put Help at Youths’ Fingertips, by Leslie Kaufman, New York Times, Feb 4 2014.

“While counseling by phone remains far more prevalent, texting has become such a fundamental way to communicate, particularly among people under 20, that crisis groups have begun to adopt it as an alternative way of providing emergency services and counseling. Texting provides privacy that can be crucial if a person feels threatened by someone near them, counselors say. It also looks more natural if the teenager is in public. ”

Rewiring the Brain to Treat OCD, by Steve Volk, Discover, Dec 11 2013.

“A groundbreaking therapy, relying on mindfulness meditation to treat obsessive compulsive disorder, suggests even adult brains have neuroplasticity. ”

Help for Seniors Who Are Drowning in Clutter, by Jim T. Miller, Huffington Post Blog, Oct 15 2013.

“This article provides some common reason as to why older adults/  the elderly engage in hoarding behaviors. Further, brief recommendations are given as to how to help older adults and the elderly  who are struggling with hoarding related behaviors. Lastly,  hoarding related resources are also provided. ”