Buried in treasures Help for compulsive acquiring, saving, and hoarding

In this clear recovery manual, Tolin (director, Anxiety Disorders Ctr., Inst. of Living), Randy O. Frost (psychology, Smith Coll.; coauthor, Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring), and Gail Steketee (clinical practice, Boston Univ. Sch. of Social Work; Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) shed light on compulsive hoarding, a lesser-known behavioral syndrome that is typically grouped with obsessive-compulsiveness. Three main symptoms must be present: a person experiences great difficulty discarding objects that are useless or of limited value, the clutter prevents or seriously limits the use of living space, and the clutter causes significant impairment. Besides defining compulsive hoarding, the authors address special issues involved with the disorder, then follow with a discussion of the current clinical understanding of possible causes, current research on what prevents hoarders from benefiting from organizing programs, how to help motivate those wishing to change, and ways to maintain success in a treatment regimen. Numerous self-assessments and other treatment tools that have been used by the authors with their hoarder patients make the book most suitable for sufferers themselves, rather than professionals. Highly recommended for public libraries and university libraries supporting the helping professions.-Dale Farris, Groves, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.