Compulsive Hoarding ... any Cure through Raw Paleo possible?

[jibrael]

One of my friend is in crises situation.

His wife got severe Nerves problems. Main problem is compulsive hoarding.

He discussed it with me while I am changing my diet to Paleo and already having good effects. Unfortunately, I am too new to Paleo to give him any advice.
He told me that she went for cure in the clinic for 8 weeks, but nothing worked.

Please help.

[Brad462]

Good luck with that...

 In my experience people aren't usually open to advice or even willing to admit that they need to change. 

I would just pray for them and not worry about it...

[TylerDurden]

Tell her to try neuroprogrammer 3 :-

https://www.transparentcorp.com/products/np/download.php

 It is free for the first  2 weeks. try the schuhmann resonance frequency track as well as any other track that might suit.

*Compulsive hoarding*? I have at least 2 relatives, arguably even 4 more as well  to a lesser extent, who are compulsive hoarders. It means having to discreetly throw away some of their trash every so often without telling them, but otherwise it is not the end of the world.

[jibrael]

Thanks.

Today we again talked each other. He told me that hoarding was initially the problem, but now things have gone to the stage where there is a danger of complete nervous break down.

He told me that she knows very well and recognise that she has hoarding and nerves problems. But it is very difficult for her to give up her bad habits.

And when I asked about the bad habits, then he replied that she comes back from work at 1800, and then she starts watching TV till 02:00 clock in the morning. Then she sleeps till 0700.  This means she is not sleeping more than 4 to 5 hours daily.

My friend asked her many times to change this habit, but very difficult to make her to do any thing. And this is what @Brad462 wrote above and he is very true about it.

Now with time she is loosing her health completely and she is unable to face even a small challenge in the life any more. She has become aggressive and making life of her family very very difficult, especially the daughter who now fears a lot from Mama.

My friend was weeping all the time. I don't know how to help him.

[eveheart]

A good long-term solution for compulsive behaviors is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). In DBT, the patient learns to become mindful of the goal of the ineffective behavior and is then able to select a different behavior to achieve the goal. As in the Greek philosophical style called dialectics, DBT teaches a person to spend more time weighing the options before acting. I've seen it work wonders for people who act on impulses that are destructive. There are good DIY workbooks, but I'd find a DBT therapist and probably DBT classes or group therapy for someone who is so out-of-control.

An example of a "goal" for compulsive hoarding might be to "feel calmer," yet hoarding will not lead to calmness. The patient needs to find alternate behaviors that will lead to the goal of calmness, such as listening to music or doing a hobby. It is a fairly simple process, but it takes a few months (or more) to master.

There are many psych-meds that can alleviate compulsive behaviors, but the side-effects can be debilitating. Sometimes side effects are tolerable at first until the patient learns other ways of dealing with the behavior. If someone is wrecking their family's life, the quick results of medication might be justified.

The family might need therapy and support, too. Good luck.

[cherimoya_kid]

"Good luck" is right. It doesn't sound like this family comes from a culture that would easily accept psychotherapy, etc.. They're screwed.

[TylerDurden]

Psychotherapy and meds are notoriously useless, and are often very dangerous. One serious possibility other than what I recommended above would be cognitive behavioural therapy.

[cherimoya_kid]

Psychotherapy and meds are notoriously useless, and are often very dangerous. One serious possibility other than what I recommended above would be cognitive behavioural therapy.

I was actually including all such methods under the larger umbrella of "psychotherapy". I think that, in fact, CBT, as well as the method Eve mentioned, would generally be defined as forms of psychotherapy.

But it's a moot point. These people seem to be from a culture that would not tolerate or relate to any such methods.

[eveheart]

Psychotherapy and meds are notoriously useless, and are often very dangerous. One serious possibility other than what I recommended above would be cognitive behavioural therapy.

Yes, that's why I didn't recommend psychotherapy or meds unless immediate relief is needed. Tony Robbins says, "You can change in an instant, but sometimes it takes you ten years to arrive at that instant." This person has already tried a program with no success, so it sounds like there's more work to be done.

The reported behaviors suggest that there is a massive underlying problem. Minimizing hoarding behavior by suggesting that family members throw out a few items now and then is irresponsible. The problem here is not the hoarded items, like you make it sound!

CBT is a precursor to DBT, but DBT is massively more successful because it addresses broader issues, while CBT stops at identifying the cognitions and addressing them only. I am not a therapist, but I am trained in both CBT and DBT as an adjunct provider. I've seen it work wonders to slow down the mindless progression to pointless, impulsive behaviors. DBT is usually taught in groups with awesome dynamics among the participants.

CBT works well with depression and other mood disorders. This person is not just depressed. Why wouldn't anyone with behavioral problems use the behavioral therapy that is more specific to problem moods?

[jibrael]

Dear eveheart, you have given a ray of hope.

It seems that family is open for any type of therapy. Wife herself knew about this disease and she is now planning to go for 8 weeks cure in the clinic. But they still have to find out what therapy they are going to be offered in the clinic.

I have searched and it seems that DBT is fully covered through Medical Insurance in Germany. And there are specialists in the city that she is residing.

Other possibilities that are available and we will try to achieve are:

* neuroprogrammer 3  (as suggested by Tylor)

* Aromatherapy  (especially Passionflower is reported to be helpful in the stress situations)

* I am asking question to myself if diet and good habits are going to make the difference? I doubt that she will start eating Paleo. But still her diet could be made better by using lot of fish and vegetable  and perhaps using cold pressed virgin coconut oil for better digestion.
At present her diet is very bad with consists of lot of bread and cakes and other sweet stuff.

[TylerDurden]

Dairy and grains are often heavily implicated in metal health disorders, so much so that some symtpoms can be alleviated just by ditching those 2 foods. Of course, that usually means ditching all processed foods as gluten and casein are routinely used as preservatives for processed foods. Perhaps suggesting that she only eat foods cooked for a short time(ie "rare") and avoid dairy and grains, might work. That is certainly not as drastic as  switching to an RPD diet.

[eveheart]

Aromatherapy is incorporated in DBT as a suggestion for finding pleasurable activities for each of the 5 senses. I'm really into it myself, using oils that you can buy plus whole spices that smell good. I don't connect it to specific healing as much, they way some do, but I think that it is a valid healing modality, if you get into it.

I realize that you were asking originally about raw paleo as a healing option. I'd say yes because it takes such a burden off the body. But the burden can be lifted too slowly to rely on RPD solely. Think in terms of near-sightedness - you'd still wear glasses until the raw healing took place. Same with needing therapy right now.