Publications - OCD and Hoarding

Hoarding Can be a Deadly Business, by Scott O. Lillenfield and Hal Arkowitz, Scientific American, Sep 1 2013.

“In rare cases, the habit of gathering and retaining things reaches unhealthy extremes, culminating in hoarding disorder, a condition that is poorly understood. According to this volume, “hoarding disorder” is characterized by extreme and enduring difficulties parting with possessions, even if they have no tangible value. ”

Up and Down the Worry Hill: A Children's Book about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and its Treatment, by Aureen Pinto, 2013.

Hoarding: Does Your Aging Parent Have The Disease of Clutter?, by Ann Brenoff, Online, May 27 2012.

“Leading hoarding researcher/ expert, Andy Frost states that many older Americans who experienced deprivation during the Great Depression or WW II are at a higher risk for developing Hoarding. Frost also suggests that aging worsens Hoarding symptoms. He also makes some suggestions as to how children can best help their parent who is struggling with hoarding tendencies.  ”

OCD in children: 'A darkness has overtaken me', by Elizabeth Landau, CNN, Oct 11 2011.

“"For the most part, adults realize that these symptoms [of OCD] don't make any sense. They get that this doesn't make a lot of sense," Szymanski said. "Kids don't necessarily have that perspective." ”

Children of Hoarders on Leaving the Cluttered Nest, by Steven Kurutz, New York Times , May 11 2011.

“Children of hoarders often display a tortured ambivalence toward their parents, perhaps because unlike spouses or friends of hoarders, they had little choice but to live amid the junk. ”

Wariness on Surgery of the Mind, by Benedict Carey, New York Times , Feb 14 2011.

“In recent years, many psychiatrists have come to believe that the last, best chance for some people with severe and intractable mental problems is psychosurgery, an experimental procedure in which doctors operate directly on the brain. ”

Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of OCD, by Traci Foust, 2011.

Predicting Treatment Success for Child OCD, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Oct 18 2010.

“A new research effort may help clinicians better predict how a child with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) will respond to some of the most commonly used treatment approaches. ”

OCD: New Treatments And Stories From The Trenches, by Jessica Alpert, WBUR , Oct 13 2010.

“In recognition of National OCD Awareness Week, we explore some of the latest treatments for the disorder with a Boston doctor who's one of the country's top OCD specialists, and we speak with one local man who lives with OCD every day. ”

Tools to Reduce Stigma of Mental Illness, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , May 14 2010.

“Researchers have announced a new intervention that can improve the quality of life and self-esteem among persons with serious mental illness. ”

Rewind, Replay, Repeat: A Memoir of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by J. Bell, 2010.

Digging Out : Helping your loved one manage clutter, hoarding and compulsive acquiring, by Michael Tompkins and Tamara Hartl, 2009.

When anxiety is at the table, by Jeff Bell, New York Times, Feb 6 2008.

“Separating the salt and pepper shakers or worrying whether the cutlery is clean enough are just some of the woes that can befall obsessive-compulsive diners. ”

A Clutter Too Deep for Mere Bins and Shelves, by Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times , Jan 1 2008.

“Disorganization may be a person problem, not a house problem. ”

What To Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck: A Kid's Guide To Overcoming OCD, by Huebner, Dawn, 2007.