When clutter takes over your home, it can feel like life is closing in around you. What may appear to be a disorganized living space could actually be a sign of hoarding disorder: a condition that can lead to unsafe living environments and cause emotional distress.Â
Although the thought of reaching out for help may feel overwhelming, know that recovery is possible. Hoarding disorder inpatient treatment provides a safe, structured setting for people to access the specialized care needed to heal.Â
A mental health professional can advise on the most suitable treatment type for your symptoms and needs. This page can also help you understand inpatient treatment for hoarding disorder by covering:
Hoarding disorder causes persistent difficulty parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value. People with this condition feel a need to save items, and can experience extreme distress when trying to throw them away.1 For instance, someone with a hoarding disorder may feel similar distress when considering discarding empty plastic bags as they would when thinking about throwing away cherished family photo albums.
For many people, there’s no real harm in occasionally keeping a few extra items here and there. Yet, hoarding can cause possessions to pile up and clutter essential living areas, leaving them inaccessible. For example, a person may not be able to sleep in a bed due to clutter. So, instead, they might be forced to sleep on a living room chair.Â
It’s estimated that up to one in seventeen people has a hoarding disorder.2 Knowing the symptoms of hoarding disorder can help you access the support needed to ease distress and make your house feel like a home again.
Recognizing early warning signs of hoarding is often important for receiving effective treatment. However, hoarding exists on a spectrum of behaviors ranging from mild to severe, so people can show different levels of intensity.Â
Some of the typical signs of hoarding include:3
Obtaining and keeping too many items you don’t need or have space for
If you, or someone you love, displays some of the signs above, they may have a hoarding disorder. Fortunately, treatment is available for conditions like this. But what causes a person to hoard in the first place?
The exact cause of hoarding disorder is currently unknown, as it is a relatively new classification of mental health condition. However, it more frequently occurs in people who have:3,4
A family member with a hoarding problemÂ
While outpatient treatment, such as therapy, often provides sufficient symptomatic relief for many people, inpatient treatment may become necessary when outpatient support fails to alleviate symptoms effectively.Â
Residential hoarding disorder programs can often get to the root of underlying problems. They also help people develop coping techniques for clutter and distress, and change unhelpful beliefs or behaviors that contribute to hoarding.Â
People seeking hoarding disorder inpatient treatment typically struggle with unsafe home environments and overwhelming distress. The next section explores when it may be necessary to consider residential treatment.Â
We accept most major insurance providers and can check your coverage levels for you.
If we are not an appropriate provider for care, we will assist in finding a care provider that can help.Â
Additionally, the emotional impact of hoarding can be distressing. For example, it can worsen conditions like depression or anxiety, or make someone feel so ashamed or embarrassed about their situation that they isolate themselves. Hoarding disorder may also impact personal relationships, contributing to strain, conflict, and disagreements.5
When hoarding creates unsafe living conditions or breaks down relationships, residential treatment for hoarding behavior may be an appropriate consideration. For instance, inpatient programs may be particularly useful in the following circumstances:
When excessive possessions cause unsafe living conditions, such as fire hazards, difficulties accessing or leaving the property due to entrances being blocked, or pest infestations
If these circumstances sound familiar, inpatient care for hoarding disorder recovery may offer a clear and supportive path forward. The following sections cover what to expect from inpatient programs and the benefits they may bring over outpatient support.Â
You may already have ideas about what residential care for hoarding disorder recovery might involve, but the reality is often different from what people imagine. To help you understand what to expect, the following sections walk you through what these programs usually look like.Â
Hoarding disorder counseling inpatient programs provide people with a safe, comfortable living environment with round-the-clock support and consistent routines, designed to help people heal.Â
Facilities often include private or shared bedrooms, relaxing common areas, therapy rooms, dining halls, fitness areas, and outdoor spaces to enhance the recovery journey.Â
Program length varies based on individual needs and circumstances, ranging from short weekend stays to six months or longer.Â
Short-term options – 30 days or less – are designed for people in crisis or experiencing sudden, severe symptoms. Alternatively, long-term programs offer more comprehensive support over a prolonged period for those facing complex or persistent challenges.Â
Additionally, residential programs often offer recreational activities to support you through your wellbeing journey. For instance, some of the recreational and off-site experiences offered at AMFM centers include bowling, breathwork, mini-golf, and visits to attractions such as museums or beaches.Â
Finally, when appropriate, a qualified mental health professional may provide medication management to support symptom relief.Â
With a clearer idea of what inpatient treatment involves, let’s explore the positive changes it may bring to your healing journey.Â
A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. Hoarding Disorder support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.
Take a look at our homes on the east side of the Metro area in Washington County.
View our facilities in Fairfax County, VA within the DC metro area.
Committing to residential treatment can be a big step, both emotionally and practically. Therefore, you may wonder how it differs from outpatient support and whether this extra commitment is worth the effort.Â
There are several benefits that inpatient care can offer, including:
Inpatient care provides a crucial foundation for hoarding disorder recovery. Yet, it is only the beginning of the journey. After residential care, many people transition to outpatient care to continue their recovery. But what does this transition look like?
It’s natural to wonder about what awaits you after inpatient treatment. For instance, someone may return home and feel overwhelmed seeing the clutter surrounding them. For this reason, in addition to the skills they learn in the program, people often need continued support.Â
Aftercare is a vital part of recovery that all effective hoarding disorder residential treatment programs consider. Aftercare is tailored to your specific needs and may include several outpatient hoarding disorder treatment options. For example, outpatient therapy, peer support groups, medication management, or extra coping strategies.Â
Furthermore, aftercare doesn’t have to look like traditional weekly outpatient support. There are step-down options from residential care, such as partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs).Â
Alternatively, IOPs may suit people seeking a flexible – yet intensive – support plan that can fit around their return to daily routines. IOPs require less time commitment than PHPs, typically two to three hours a day, across three to five days every week.8
Aftercare plans provide the essential support needed to ensure long-term recovery. In the next section, we will explore what to consider when searching for inpatient programs for hoarding disorder.Â
Choosing the right hoarding disorder inpatient treatment center can feel like a big decision; it’s natural to feel uncertain about where to begin, especially with so many options available.Â
To help you make a confident decision about which treatment center to choose, some factors you may want to consider include:
Finding the right residential treatment program for hoarding disorder may feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to. Knowing what you are looking for can make the process feel less intimidating and more manageable, allowing you to have confidence in your decisions.Â
Living with a hoarding disorder can be challenging, but with the right support and treatment, recovery is possible. If you or someone you love is seeking inpatient recovery programs for hoarding, we’re here to help.
At AMFM Healthcare, we offer specialized residential treatment designed to provide compassionate care, evidence-based therapies, and a safe, structured environment to support healing from hoarding disorder.Â
If you or a loved one is struggling to cope with hoarding, don’t delay seeking help. Contact us today to learn more about our residential recovery programs and start your healing journey. We are here to support you every step of the way.Â
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