How is Hoarding Disorder related to Trauma and can EMDR help?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy approach primarily used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma-related conditions.
While the exact causes of hoarding disorder are not fully understood, research suggests that trauma can be a contributing factor for some individuals. Traumatic experiences, such as the loss of a loved one, separation, or abandonment, can lead to difficulties with attachment and a heightened need for security and comfort.
Some individuals with hoarding disorder may develop an emotional attachment to objects as a way to fill the void left by past losses or to create a sense of safety and control.
Trauma can impact emotional regulation, leading to difficulties in managing and processing emotions. Hoarding behaviors may serve as a coping mechanism, providing a sense of emotional regulation or comfort in times of distress. The accumulation of possessions may be a way to soothe anxiety, loneliness, or other emotional states associated with trauma.
Simply put, traumatic experiences can result in a diminished sense of safety and control. Hoarding behaviors, such as acquiring and saving items, can provide a perceived sense of security and control over one's environment.
Individuals with hoarding disorder may associate letting go of possessions with a loss of control or vulnerability, which can be linked to past traumatic experiences.
While research specifically examining the effectiveness of EMDR for hoarding disorder is limited, EMDR may still have potential benefits for individuals with hoarding behaviors who have experienced trauma. Here’s how:
Utilizing EMDR to Processing Traumatic Experiences related to hoarding:
EMDR aims to help individuals process and integrate traumatic memories and associated emotions. If trauma underlies or contributes to hoarding behaviors, EMDR can assist in addressing and resolving the underlying traumatic experiences that may be fueling the hoarding behaviors.
Identifying and Addressing Triggers for Hoarding:
EMDR can help individuals with hoarding disorder identify triggers that activate hoarding behaviors and work to desensitize and reprocess the associated distress. By targeting the emotions and sensations linked to specific triggers, EMDR can help reduce the intensity of the emotional response and provide alternative ways of coping.
Enhancing Emotional Regulation:
Hoarding behaviors can be associated with difficulties in emotional regulation. EMDR incorporates techniques to help individuals develop healthier ways of coping with distressing emotions and improve emotional regulation skills. By targeting traumatic memories and their associated emotional and physiological responses, EMDR can help individuals build resilience and develop more adaptive ways of managing emotions.
Shifting Negative Self-Beliefs for people who have lived with Hoarding:
Individuals with hoarding disorder often hold negative self-beliefs or self-critical thoughts that perpetuate their hoarding behaviors. EMDR includes strategies to identify and reprocess these negative beliefs, allowing individuals to develop more positive and realistic self-perceptions. This can support changes in self-image and self-efficacy, which can be beneficial for addressing hoarding behaviors.
Improving Treatment Engagement for Exposure Response Prevention:
Trauma-related symptoms, such as anxiety, avoidance, or emotional numbing, can interfere with treatment engagement. EMDR can help individuals reduce these barriers by addressing trauma-related symptoms, increasing emotional regulation, and improving overall treatment motivation and participation.
It's important to note that EMDR is just one therapeutic approach and may not be suitable or effective for everyone with hoarding disorder. Each individual's needs should be assessed by a Kairos Wellness Collective clinician who is qualified in both EMDR and hoarding disorder. Integrated treatment that combines EMDR with other evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or hoarding-specific interventions, may provide a comprehensive approach to addressing both trauma and hoarding symptoms.
If you would like to learn more about EMDR, please contact Kairos Wellness Collective today.
