• Come to a Dehoarding Accountability Zoom Session: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/ticket
• Subscribe to the podcast: https://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/subscribe
• Podcast show notes, links and transcript: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/

Incredible conversation with the ever-insightful KC Davis of Struggle Care. From discussing the impact of accumulating unused items to exploring the mental and emotional barriers people face in decluttering and tidying up, this episode covers a wide range of strategies and insights to help you on your dehoarding journey. We look at the shame and stigma associated with struggling with care tasks, including dehoarding, and the impact on individuals' self-worth and ability to seek help, and replace the shame with an approach rooted in self-compassion and moral neutrality towards care tasks. So if you're looking for practical tips, empathy, and support on your dehoarding journey, you won't want to miss this episode!

• Understanding Care Tasks and Struggles
• Definition of "care tasks"
• Stigma and shame surrounding struggles with care tasks
• Impact on self-worth and ability to seek help
• Overcoming Shame and Stigma
• Fear and self-criticism
• Importance of self-compassion and supportive community
• Motivation and the limitations of shame
• Individualised solutions rooted in self-compassion
• Thriftiness and environmental concerns
• Strategies for Task Initiation and Motivation
• Challenges for hoarders and those with ADHD
• Differentiating motivation and task initiation
• Small steps, transitions, and tools for task initiation
• Starting the Decluttering Process
• No one right way to start
• Making small decisions and using timers
• Involving friends in parting with items
• Overcoming Emotional Barriers to Decluttering
• Impact of accumulated items and their eventual outcome
• "5 things theory" to overcome resistance
• Adjusting the tidying process and taking small steps consistently
• Strategies for Organising and Tidying Up
• Breaking tasks into smaller steps
• Visual storage ideas and creating rituals
• Setting priorities and challenging societal norms
• Judgments based on work, race, and appearance
• Many people feel therapy isn't addressing their needs.
• Shame doesn't lead to lasting behaviour change.
• Self-help methods are not one-size-fits-all.
• Permission to accommodate leads to lasting change.
• Challenges of ADHD and executive functioning explained.
• Declutter by what I need, love, keep.
• Motivation leads to easier hard work and decluttering.
• Take small steps and make decisions.
• Break tasks into small steps.
• Community support for navigating vulnerability.
• Many people find online content more helpful than traditional therapy, reflecting societal attitudes towards seeking help.
• Shame and social pressure don't guarantee change.
• Self-help space lacks personalised solutions for diverse challenges. Universal methods don't address individual barriers and needs.
• People give themselves permission to accommodate and it leads to curiosity, not necessarily a finish line.
• Challenges with executive functioning and organisation due to ADHD, struggling with clutter and distractions.
• Sort items by frequency of use, happiness, and necessity. Prioritise what to keep, rather than what to discard.
• Motivation leads to easier wins, declutter by discussing meaningful items with friends.
• Taking small steps without pressure, performing tasks with enjoyable activities.
• Breaking tasks into smaller steps and utilising a simple action to initiate it.

Come to a Dehoarding Accountability Zoom Session: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/ticket

Subscribe to the podcast: https://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/subscribe

Podcast show notes, links and transcript: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/

I watched a film, "Where Dragons Live," which struck a chord with themes of belongings, families, the meaning of our stuff, and the complexities of dealing with a loved one's stuff after they pass away. I talk about the deeper implications of what we leave behind. Join me as I reflect on the emotional impact of material possessions and the significance of our connections with others.

• Film Review: Where Dragons Live
• Review and discussion of the film "Where Dragons Live"
• Exploration of themes relevant to hoarding, family dynamics and privilege
• Reflection on the concept of treasuring and maintaining possessions
• Analysis of the film’s portrayal of mixed, nuanced emotions and reactions
• Examination of the anxiety surrounding what we leave behind for others
• Emphasis on the impact of hoarding on one's own life and grieving process
• Personal reflection on the burden and worry of leaving behind a hoarding home
• Consideration of the challenges faced by those sorting through a hoarded space
• Insight into the complexities of emotions and decision-making related to hoarding
• Impact Beyond Possessions
• Reflection on the value of relationships and connections beyond physical possessions
• Examination of the meaningful impact individuals can leave on others
• Emphasis on the significance of emotional and personal legacies
• Discussion of minimising physical clutter to alleviate stress for others
• Personal experiences related to friendships and legacies
• Reflection on the meaningful contributions individuals can make in others’ lives
• Recommendations for listeners to consider the impact they leave on others
• Encouragement to prioritise meaningful connections over material possessions
• Mixed emotions lead to decision-making challenges.
• Grieving and hoarding
• Overwhelm
• Leave behind meaningful and powerful positive impact.
• Film subjects reflect on sentimental items.
• Grief and clearing out a hoarded home, finding value in the midst of overwhelming belongings.
• Leaving meaningful impact beyond material possessions.
• The film's focus on balancing material possessions with emotional value
• Minimising belongings for others' sake.

Come to a Dehoarding Accountability Zoom Session: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/ticket

Subscribe to the podcast: https://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/subscribe

Podcast show notes, links and transcript: http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk/

Dr. Jennifer Krafft, director of the Mindfulness and Acceptance Lab at Mississippi State University and her expertise in hoarding disorder, OCD, anxiety, and mindfulness and acceptance processes for treatment brings a fresh perspective to the prevalent issues surrounding hoarding. We’re talking particularly about stigma and hoarding disorder, the impact of cultural and societal attitudes, and the potential for self-help interventions to reduce stigma. We look at the roles of psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and the need for societal change in addressing hoarding stigma.

• Stigma and Misconceptions Surrounding Hoarding Disorder
• Lack of public awareness and understanding
• Sensationalism in reality TV shows and its impact on stigmatisation
• Impact of hoarding stigma on seeking help and social lives
• Mindfulness and Acceptance in Managing Hoarding Disorder
• Dr. Jennifer Krafft's personal experiences and curiosity leading to interest in hoarding disorder
• Lack of effective treatments and trained providers for hoarding disorder
• Study on self-help interventions reducing stigmatisation for people with hoarding disorder
• Combating perfectionism through flexibility and managing cognitive reactions
• Seeking Help and Self-Stigma
• Dr. Jennifer Krafft's study on individuals' preferences for seeking help for mental health problems
• Public stigma and self-stigma, leading to shame, embarrassment, and hiding behaviour
• Psychological inflexibility linked to stigma and rigid behaviour patterns
• Acceptance and commitment therapy promoting psychological flexibility
• Addressing Stigma and Shame
• Impact of intersecting stigmas on individuals, such as hoarding and racism
• Addressing self-criticism, shame, and seeking support
• Mindfulness exercises and self-compassion in managing stigma and shame
• Cultural and Identity Perspectives in Hoarding Disorder
• Lack of research on culture, identity, and hoarding, particularly in diverse populations
• Additional challenges faced by individuals with multiple forms of discrimination
• Acknowledging the impact of intersecting stigmas on individuals
• Evolutionary Perspective of Hoarding Behaviour
• Dr. Jennifer Krafft discussing hoarding behaviour in the context of human evolution
• Mismatch between human adaptation and the current society's abundance of material possessions
• Promoting Awareness and Education
• Dr. Jennifer Krafft's advocacy for societal change in addressing hoarding stigma
• Necessity for professional education and awareness about hoarding disorder
• Lack of research on culture, identity, and hoarding, particularly in diverse populations
• Each of these topics delves into the complexities and implications of hoarding disorder, shedding light on the need for compassion, understanding, and effective interventions.
• Reality TV impacts public perception of hoarding.
• Insufficient research on hoarding and identity discrimination.
• Negative thoughts and emotions control behaviour; impacts stigma.
• Identifying and challenging perfectionism in daily life.
• Seeking support, not meant to be isolated.
• Consider the adaptive nature of hoarding behaviour.
• Dehoarding Zoom sessions help with self-judgment.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy promotes psychological flexibility to navigate stigma effectively.
• Insufficient research on hoarding and identity, leading to potential discrimination.
• Psychological inflexibility leads to stigma. Acceptance and commitment therapy can help.
• Researcher discusses unexpected study findings, biases
• Intrinsic motivation in decluttering.
• Seek support from others, fight hoarding stigma.
• Evolutionary perspective on hoarding behaviour and the potential benefits of hoarding in certain contexts
• Zoom accountability sessions for decluttering, self-judgment comparison.