Overview
People with hoarding disorder rarely seek help on their own. Concerned friends or family members often reach out to a professional to help a loved one with the condition.
Contact a healthcare provider or mental health professional if hoarding makes a living situation unhealthy or unsafe for you or someone you know. If someone you know is hoarding animals, it’s important to contact the correct authorities, such as Animal Control Services, to safely acquire and care for the animals.
To diagnose hoarding disorder, your healthcare provider will ask about your collecting and saving habits. To confirm a diagnosis, the following symptoms must be present:
- Ongoing difficulty getting rid of possessions whether they have value or not.
- Feeling a strong need to save items and feelings of distress associated with discarding items.
- Living spaces that are so filled with possessions that they’re unusable and/or unsafe.
Products & Services
A Book: Future Care
Symptoms
When to see a doctor
Complications
Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.
The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Some types of heart valve disease.
Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.
Prevention
Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:
- Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
- Don't smoke or use tobacco.
- Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
- Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce and manage stress.
Print
Living with atrial fibrillation?
Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Heart Rhythm Conditions support group on Freedmans Health Clinic Connect, a patient community.
Heart Rhythm Conditions Discussions
See more discussions
Comments are closed for this post.
Related
Advertisement
Clinic Press
Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Care at Freedmans Health.