Fear of getting rid of things or Dysposophobia is the fear of losing something or an intense fear of getting rid of things. It is also called “Hoarding Disorder.” Many people worldwide are affected by this phobia, and a recent survey has shown that the British are number one on this list. The word “Disposophobia” has a Greek origin. The root word ‘Dispos’ means fear of getting rid of personal belongings and ‘Phobos’ means the Greek God of fear.
This mental disorder causes the person suffering from it to keep every little thing acquired, including receipts, old magazines, worn-out clothes, newspapers, old mail, lists, notes, etc. The disease has been around for centuries, yet most people do not know they have it. Disposophobia can be divided into Animal Hoarding, Book Hoarding, and another specific object hoarding. In most cases, the phobic has no use for the objects he hoards, but his intense fear of their elimination keeps him collecting and storing them.
Naturally, the phobic’s loved ones are severely affected by his behavior and can often not convince him to seek help. Hoarding of animals also leads to very unsanitary conditions and can compromise health. Most phobics tend to be socially withdrawn or lonely, which only intensifies their need to hoard more things.
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Index
Causas de la Disposofobia
- Physicians in the field of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Research Program at the University of California, Los Angeles, have determined that people with certain neurological conditions and diseases are more likely to become “hoarders.”
- These include dementia, ADHD, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, certain addictions, developmental disabilities, and OCD. The study also showed that people with Dysposophobia are more likely to have mild brain atrophy or unusual forms of the frontal lobe.
- This part of the brain is responsible for making decisions and executing functions.
- Often, a negative experience in the past can trigger the fear of getting rid of the thing phobia – the person might have thrown something away, only to regret it later.
The fear of getting rid of a phobia of things can also start early in life and has even been seen in children as young as three years old.
- Animals or book hoarding could have specific triggers on that; the person feels more secure when collecting books or having pets.
- This could be related to a traumatic event or memory – physically or mentally abused children are more likely to show such signs.
- The hoarding could also start in middle age; this is seen predominantly in women than in men.
- Basic vulnerabilities like emotional dysregulation ( anxiety and depression) that occur due to an emotional setback (loss of a loved one or a job, divorce, etc.) could be the triggers.
- The phobic begins to associate a particular object with human-like qualities and feels intense pain or fear at the thought of throwing that object away.
- People who are afraid to get rid of the phobia of things are also afraid of wasting the object or losing the opportunity that that object represents.
Symptoms of getting rid of things
People with Dysposophobia often have trouble organizing things. When asked to throw away old and unwanted/unwanted items. They may appear after chants of anxiety/panic attacks:
- Feeling restless, high heart rate, rapid breathing.
- I feel like yelling, running away, or hiding instead of throwing things away.
- Felt extremely distressed, appalled at the thought of getting rid of things.
Disposophobia houses are generally untidy, and there is hardly any space to live.
- Animal hoarders live in highly unsanitary/unsanitary conditions; Their living spaces are often home to bacteria, rotten food, vermin, rodents, and even biohazard waste.
- They typically live alone and show signs of depression or obsessive compulsion disorder.
- Special items are often stacked in aisles and hallways and are often moved to create space for more articles.
- If there is no disorder, phobics tend to feel restless and need to get more done.
- Disposophobia can profoundly affect relationships and can scare away loved ones.
- Having a job or having stable relationships can also become quite difficult for people who have this phobia.
Overcome the fear of getting rid of things
- The fear of getting rid of the phobia of things is a complex disorder, and it is vital to diagnose the underlying conditions before prescribing therapy or medication.
- In general, compulsively.
Hello, how are you? My name is Georgia Tarrant, and I am a clinical psychologist. In everyday life, professional obligations seem to predominate over our personal life. It's as if work takes up more and more of the time we'd love to devote to our love life, our family, or even a moment of leisure.