Hello I'm a new member

[ghaedeigh]

Hi everyone I'm a new member. I have a sister who suffers from OCD Hoarding in a really bad way and I'm desperately looking for any help I can get her. We live in the Durham area and so far I've not had much luck in finding what's out there. Can anyone suggest anything/anywhere to go?

I found this forum after seeing the program "Hoarders" on A&E last night. One of the people featured was so like how my sister is I thought I'd never stop crying. I so want her to have a better life. She is a very loving and outgoing person, but can't entertain in her home, she can't even cook herself a meal so sits in her bed with a bowl of cereal everynight. I don't know what to do. She has 3 cats that she does take care of, but I know if the authorities were to come in, she would lose them and that would just break her completely.

I want her to have a "normal" life and I know she does too as we do talk about it... it's just unbelievably overwhelming for her and us. We don't know how to help anymore. Thanks for listening - Ghae:thankyou2:

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Welcome to Psychlinks, ghaedeigh.

 

[Jazzey]

Welcome.

 

[Retired]

Welcome to Psychlinks Ghae,

Has your your sister expressed desire to seek treatment for her disorder?

The place to start is her family physician, who needs to know about her behaviour. The hope would be, that if the family physician is unable to provide treatment options that s/he would refer your sister to a mental health specialist who can.

In Ontario the options would be to obtain a referral to a psychiatrist and or a psychologist.

Other options would be to contact a teaching hospital with psychiatry services nearby and try to get an appointment in their outpatient clinic.

I don't know if she would need a referral from the family physician for such a referral, but the outpatient clinic would certainly advise you.

Other resources that may be able to help:

OCD Ontario

Local Chapter of Canadian Mental Health Association

Does your sister live with you, alone or with a partner/spouse?

 

[forgetmenot]

Hi welcome to Psychlinks

 

[Murray]

Welcome

 

[Into The Light]

welcome :hithere: i hope you'll be able to find the resources your sister needs to get some help with the disorder. tsow has listed some great starting points, i hope they are of help! there is also an ocd section Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder :: OCD - Psychlinks Psychology Self-Help & Mental Health Support Forum that might be of help for you both to read through.

 

[Andy]

Welcome ghaedeigh:beer2:

 

[ghaedeigh]

Thank you for all the advise. My sister is aware of her challenges and is going to a psychiatrist, but when I ask her about whether she's broached the subject of her hoarding she says she has and that the doctor's response was inadequate. Unfortunately I cannot believe completely that that was the answer as she's tried many tactics to avoid dealing with the problem. Yes I did live with her for 5 years and then that had to end as I couldn't deal with the mess and the feeling that I was the "mom" to my older sister. She has a tremendous amount of emotional and psychological "baggage" that she's never dealt with in regards to our parents. I just want the best for her and to help deal with this issue in the healthiest manner for her, not make it worse. My fear is that the Board of Health may be called any day by the property management and that I fear would be her "un-doing". I will forge ahead with all suggestions. Many thanks.

 

[forgetmenot]

I hope you can get your sister into seeing a psychologist one who deals with this kind of illness. She can be helped if she truly wants to. Good luck

 

[Jackie]

Welcome

 

[amastie]

Hi Ghae

my heart goes to you and your sister.

I don't know what resources are available for you, especially as I live in a different country, but I would start by looking through a telephone directory, or online, to find an organization, perhaps an online forum, for people who do hoard, or who have OCD.

Your post comes to me at a time when I am particularly moved by seeing documentaries about hoarders as well and though I don't hoard, I do have my own obsessions which immobilize me so I can empathize a lot with what they feel. I saw an excellent documentary on cable tv only within the last few months which I think what also made in the UK, called "Extraordinary Hoarders". It really was eye opening for me, the pain that those people were going through. If I could find a copy of it somewhere I'd share it with my friends. .. I've just Googled the name and it has brought up this link which seems to allow people to login to view the program (or maybe only part of it) - but I don't know how secure or reputable the website it. The link is:

Extraordinary Hoarders : Off the fence : documentaries, wildlife television, natural history programs

During the credits showing for the documentary, it showed that it was partly sponsored by and OCD organization.

If there was such an organization that you could ring or contact online, then they might be able to help you and your sister.

Very best of luck with that and of course feel free to let us know how it goes :support:

amastie