Why stuff? From Blankies to Belongings: understanding the connections between hoarding, attachment styles and excessive attachment to possessions with Dr Jan Eppingstall

For the transcript for this episode, visit the website at http://www.overcomecompulsivehoarding.co.uk 

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On this episode, I dive into why hoarders are so fixated on stuff. Joining me is Dr Jan Eppingstall, who looks into the theory of transitional objects developed by Winnicott and how they shape our attachment styles. We explore how these objects serve as a source of comfort and self-soothing, representing our primary caregiver. Jan discusses how uncertainty can lead to people-pleasing and masking of emotions. We also learn about the impact of insecure attachment on hoarding behaviours and the role of belongings in forging connections and fulfilling our emotional needs. We also discuss the complex interaction between genetics and environment in hoarding tendencies. Tune in for a deep dive into the psychological factors behind our attachment to our possessions.

- Transitional object theory by Winnicott

- The role of transitional objects in comforting children, representing the primary caregiver

- How transitional objects help children become independent and manage separation anxiety

- Uncertainty and people-pleasing behaviours

- Excessive attachment to belongings stemming from childhood experiences

- Attachment styles and secure and insecure attachment

- Using possessions to gain power, impress others, make connections

- Attachment theory and its impact on hoarding behaviours

- The use of possessions to forge connections

- Possessions as non-confrontational and not disappointing compared to people

- Attachment insecurity linked to negative thoughts about self-worth, shame, and unstable identity

- Growing up in a hoard leading to disorganised attachment and attachment trauma

- Understanding why people attach meaning to possessions

- Possessions reflecting aspects of personality, intelligence, or past achievements

- Ambivalent sense of self in hoarding and its relation to identity struggles

- Common themes for hoarding: avoiding negative emotions, holding onto past happiness, validating past pain

- Factors contributing to hoarding: instinctual nature of stockpiling and inability to avoid engaging with possessions

- Coping mechanisms, their classifications as acceptable or unacceptable, and the tipping point to excessive behaviours

- John Bowlby's attachment theory and its focus on distress and anxiety in babies when separated from primary caregiver

- Influence of early separation on psychological well-being, based on experimental studies during the Blitz

- The role of transitional object attachment

- Mary Ainsworth's extension of Bowlby's research through the Strange Situation experiments

- Identification of secure attachment and three types of insecure attachment: anxious, avoidant, and disorganised

- Hoarding tendencies being more common among first degree relatives

- Chromosome regions associated with hoarding, but no clear susceptibility genes identified

- Limited support for a genetic predisposition to hoarding

- Disproven hypotheses about hoarding and scarcity or deprivation

- The interaction between nature (genetics) and nurture (environment)

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