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May 28, 2010

The act of hoarding has become the subject of much media attention lately, and the American public is becoming more aware of this mental health issue. Chicago couple Jesse and Thelma Gaston were rescued from their home after their hoarding lead to them being trapped inside, reports ABC News.

The Gastons had not been heard from for several weeks so a neighbor called the fire department to do a well-being check. When the firemen arrived they found the couple trapped beneath piles of rubbish that had fallen on them. The pair is lucky to have survived those few weeks being trapped.

"Hoarding, or compulsive hoarding syndrome as some people call it, is a condition that is thought to be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder," said Dr Jamie Feusner said in an interview with the news outlet. "And this is a really severe problem that actually affects quite a bit of the population. It's probably about 2-5 percent of the population have this problem."

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 2.2 million individuals over the age of 18 have OCD in the U.S.

The NIMH has many resources for those suffering from OCD. They include information on different forms of treatment and how to locate local support groups. The most common form of treatment is seeing a mental health professional who would determine what form of therapy works best for you. Medication may also be prescribed to help alleviate symptoms.

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