While most people will confess to piling old belongings in the deepest corners of their homes, for some, hoarding can become a problem which seriously affects their lives.

Now Psychologist Martina Papmeyer, who is currently doing a Ph.D. at the Institute of Psychiatry in Edinburgh, has established the Compulsive Hoarding Action Group Edinburgh (CHAnGE), which is the first group to offer monthly support for hoarders in Scotland. Here she gives advice and tips for people who may be suffering from the disorder.

“Most people face the accumulation of clutter in their homes from time to time. But for some of us the collecting and saving of items can become excessive and unmanageable. This condition is commonly known as compulsive hoarding or hoarding disorder.

“When I met Rita, a 50-year-old woman, she came close to tears as she tried to describe her hoarding problem to me. She said she had always been a perfectionist, keeping her flat clean and tidy while enjoying her career as an actress. At one point, however, her life got out of control and she began to experience difficulty throwing things away.

“She said her flat had become so cluttered that she could barely walk from one room to another. She wasn’t able to cook any more or enjoy a nice evening sitting on her sofa watching TV because of the piles of accumulated items. But what frightened her most were the insects and mice that had started to spread. She felt ashamed and disgusted by her own living conditions and so desperately wanted to make a change – but she didn’t know how.

“There are many people who are similar to Rita, but most of them are too scared to talk about their problem and to seek help. There is no quick fix for hoarding problems but there are some tips that can help you to conquer these tendencies.”

· Seek help Ask your GP about cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment options in your area. An expert will know best how to help and motivate you. Visit the NHS website for more information.

· Share your experiences Visit your local support group for hoarders or join online forums such as Help for Hoarders. You will feel relieved when you realise that you are not the only person with this problem as well as receiving some great advice.

· Start slow Don’t just bin all your items as quickly as possible. You will certainly regret it and this might lead you to avoid throwing things away in the future. Instead, try to sort through items on a daily basis for about 15 to 30 minutes.

· Resist the urge to acquire things We all know how difficult it can be to resist this urge, especially if the item in question is for free. However, the more you acquire the more you will have to sort through. Read the Metro newspaper while you’re in the bus - but don’t take it home with you.

· Only handle items once When you’re sorting through clutter, force yourself to make a decision straight away whether to keep something or not. Don’t allow yourself to put items aside to deal with later.

· Motivate yourself Try to imagine as vividly as possible how your home will look once you get rid of the clutter. Envisage inviting friends over to your place without feeling ashamed - always try to think about this when you are feeling down.

· Relax You managed to throw things away? Congratulations! It is very common to feel anxious about this; it can be a stressful experience. Try to relax as much as possible and think about other things. Some people find it helpful to go out for a walk, do yoga or visit the zoo. What helps you best? Try to find out.

· Donate Do you have items in your home that you don’t need any more but feel bad just throwing them away? It often feels much better to donate things to your local charity shop. Then you can be sure that you've done something good and that someone else will making use of the item.

· Take a photo Sometimes it can help to take a photo of a big item you own before you get rid of it. Then you can still look at the (tiny) photo and remember what it looked like but at the same time manage to successfully clear some space.

· Put it in a box Whenever you’re unsure whether or not to throw small items such as newspapers away, put them in a box. If you haven’t touched the box for several months, just throw everything that’s inside it away - you obviously don’t need it.

Martina, who conducted research on compulsive hoarding while studying at Cambridge, set up CHAnGE together with two other volunteers to offer a monthly support group for people suffering from a hoarding disorder.

Along with her colleagues, Martina will hold a hoarding information evening on Thursday, February 2 from 7.30pm to 9pm at the Eric Liddell Centre, Morningside Road. The event is open to anyone interested in the topic, including sufferers, friends, relatives and health professionals.

For more information, visit the CHAnGE website or call 07521004001 on Mondays between 8pm and 9pm.

IN DETAIL

CHAnGE

The Eric Liddell Centre