Dealing with Difficult Personalities

1. Dealing with Difficult Personalities The Humane Society of The United States Animal Care Expo 2012 Dr. Robin Zasio, Psy.D. LCSW The Anxiety Treatment Center of Sacramento The Compulsive Hoarding Center of Sacramento

2. Overview of Animal Hoarding • First described as a “hoarding-type” behavior in 1999. • Similarities between hoarding of objects and animal collecting lead to a more accurate and consistent way of framing the problem. • Historically there has been little recognition of the problem which was left up to animal shelters to have to deal with. • Each year, a quarter of a million animals are rescued from hoarders.

3. What is Animal Hoarding? • Accumulates a large number of animals. • Fails to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, and veterinary care. • Fails to act of the deteriorating condition of the animals or environment. • Fails to act on the negative effect of the collection on their own health and well-being and that of other household members.

4. Common Demographics of Animal Hoarders • Can strike both men, women, single, married, young and older. • Most common profile is that of an older woman who lives alone, and is socially isolated with financial stressors. • Attribute human characteristics to the animals. • Receive emotional comfort that they are not able to get from other people.

5. Common Personality Characteristics • Distortions in the health and welfare of the animals. • Rationalize the collection of animals. • Rigidity and extreme views to justify behavior. • Believe that no one else can live up to their “high standards” of care. • Poor insight. • Denial of problem.

6. Psychological Factors Leading to Animal Hoarding • Unstable and inconsistent parenting • Trauma • Neglect or abuse in childhood • Attachment issues • Occurs in order to serve deep-seated human needs: Instead of connecting with people they connect to animals

7. Common Co-morbid Conditions • Compulsive hoarding of objects • Obsessive compulsive disorder • Depression • Addiction • Attachment Disorder • Dementia

8. Working Model of How a Hoarder Might EvolvePatronek GJ, Nathanson JN

9. Understanding the Mind of an Animal Hoarder • Symptom of mental illness rather than deliberate cruelty to animals. • Deeply attached to their pets. • Difficulty comprehending that they are harming their pets. • Puts the need of having pets over self/others. • Looking for a sense of security, irrespective of the consequences.

10. Types of Animal HoardersIOCDF Website

11. Who is Affected by Animal Hoarders? • Animals • Hoarder • Children • Elderly • Neighbors

12. Warning Signs of Animal Hoarding • Generally, 10 or more animals but can be less: It is about the care not provided. • Unsanitary living conditions. • Financial losses to pay for food/shelter. • Deteriorating health of animals. • Deteriorating health of those living in the home. • Complaints from neighbors.

13. Animal hoarding is not…. • A legitimate rescue • Sheltering • Sanctuary for animals • Altruistic behavior

14. What Can You Expect to See in the home? • Excessive animals (30-40 to hundreds), often times unsocialized and aggressive • Excessive urine and feces • Insects • Extreme smells and high ammonia levels • Sick, injured, unkept, and/or dead animals • Hoarding of objects • Deterioration of the home and personal property • Deterioration of the property

15. Most Common Animals Hoarded • Cats (Leads the list) • Dogs • Birds • Reptiles • Horses • Cattle • Rabbits/Rats

16. What Can You Expect To Feel? • Anger • Disgust • Resentment • Fear • Deep emotional turmoil • Feelings of nausea

17. When is it Not Animal Hoarding? • Proper care given to the animals including: veterinary care/love and attention • Adequate space for the animals • Clean and safe home environment • Socialization and discipline of animals • Residents are not being negatively affected by the animals, but rather contribute to their welfare

18. What’s the First Step to Assess for Animal Hoarding • See for yourself: home visit • Strike up a conversation and attempt for a glance in the home • Talk to the neighbors about their observations.

19. How to Address the Animal Hoarder • In the beginning, stay away from the term “animal hoarder” to avoid creating defensiveness. • Avoid making statements about the condition of the animals and home. • Stick to the facts and ask open-ended questions about their situation.

20. How to Work with an Animal Hoarder • Validate their love for the animals • Acknowledge that they want the best for the animals • Actively listen • Express your concern using non-judgmental language • Make it clear that you are there to help and offer support

21. Helpful Questions to Ask to Understand the Animal Hoarder • Do you think you have too many animals? • Is your life being negatively impacted by the number of animals in the home? • Do you think the number of animals is affecting others in the home? • Do you think the animals are getting the care they need? • How might your life improve if you have less animals? • Do you understand why some might be concerned about the number of animals that you have?

22. Motivational Interviewing • Designed to help the hoarder identify reasons why making a change would be a benefit to them, their family, and the animals. • Helps to acknowledge that while there is a cost to change, the benefits of change will serve them and the animals in the long run.

23. What Motivates People to Change? • Identification of the importance of the problem. • Having the confidence in the ability to change. • Internal desire- It cannot be imposed by others.

24. How to Address Ambivalence • Expect it, even if they recognize that there is a problem. • Encourage them to express their ambivalence and fears. • Facilitate resolution of ambivalence with gentle encouragement. • Remind them you are in partnership to get the problem resolved in the least distressing manner possible.

25. Factors Influencing Motivation • Social support • Home visits • Depression • Anxiety • Ability to tolerate discomfort

26. Principles of Motivational Interviewing • Express empathy • Identify discrepancies • Move with the resistance • Support self-efficacy

27. Create a Decision Balance Sheet If you continue to hoard: Benefits: Keep the animals, avoid making tough decisions, don’t experience loss, avoid dealing with factors leading to hoarding. Costs: Animals and relationships with family members continue to suffer, can’t have people over, house smells and continues to deteriorate.

28. Decision Balance Sheet Continued By letting go of the animals: Benefits: Animals get the care and attention they need, house can get cleaned, able to have people over, relationships can improve. Cost: It will be difficult parting with the animals, will have to make hard decisions, painful feelings will surface.

29. Talk About the Goals • Create safety for animals • Improve the condition of the home • Increased social contact with others • Improved relationships with family • Increased time to do other activities • Improved finances

30. Problem Solving Steps • Identify problem • Generate solutions-be creative • Evaluate solutions and pick one • Implement solution • Evaluate outcome • Repeat

31. This is Going to Be Difficult! • Remind them to take one step at a time. • Encourage them to patient with the process • Be aware of their tendency to catastrophize. • Think of the “Greater Good.” • Gently suggest that what they have been doing hasn’t been working.

32. What Doesn’t Work • Criticism • Confrontation • Threats: To remove animals or to call law enforcement • Badgering • Belittling

33. What is Likely to Be Most Effective • Give positive encouragement. • Validate that you know they love their animals. • Acknowledge that you understand they want the best for their animals. • Let them know you want to work with them. • Express that you are not judging them.

34. Dealing with The Difficult Personality • Keep conversation neutral rather than adversarial. • Accept the reality of who they are. • Know what’s under your control to change. • Watch your tone and facial reactions. • Stay calm, non-reactive, and unemotional. • Identify their positive qualities. • Remember who you are dealing with! • Don’t let them get to you.

35. Keep the Focus! • Get the facts and work toward generating solutions. • Use the power of graciousness. • Listen-listen-listen! • Be patient. Expect to feel frustrated. • Try to remain optimistic. • Communicate in a way that helps them feel understood.

36. Prepare the Hoarder • Acknowledge their distress. • Be empathic to their difficulty letting go of their animals. • Acknowledge their anxiety and feelings of loss. • Validate that they are going to feel sadness and that you are they to help them deal with their feelings. • Remind them that their distress over giving up the animals will get easier as time passes.

37. Giving Up Control • Remember there are psychological factors which have lead to the problem. • Be as personal as you feel comfortable and explore if you can learn more about who they are as a person. • Keep in mind that it is likely that they have not had control in other areas of their life and having animals is one way they feel control. • Encourage them to identify ways to mitigate the problem.

38. Moving Forward • Do not bring home stray animals. • Neighbors need to be informed that their home is off limits for stray pets. • Do not visit shelters or other animal facilities: Too tempting!!!

39. Relapse Prevention • Therapy to address the factors leading to the animal hoarding. • Identification of other ways to get interpersonal needs met. • Activities to connect with others. • Ask them about their resources. • Follow-up home visits.

40. Rules for Bringing Pets into House • Comply with county guidelines with regard to number of pets. • Pets must have adequate space. • Adequate food, water, and medical attention. • Financial resources to care for pets. • Decisions made with other family members consent. • Adequate time to care for the pet.

41. Further Recommendations for the Animal Hoarder • Instruct owner to take a class on organization. • Find an online or local animal support group. • Contact an animal caregiver consultant. • Therapy to address the underlying psychological factors leading to the hoarder.

42. What Can I Expect For a Prognosis • Recidivism is very high! PERIOD!

43. What Are Your Resources? • The Humane Society of The United States • Local animal shelter • Local humane society • Local animal hoarding task force • Child Protective Services • Adult Protective Services • Fire department • Law enforcement

44. Resources for Animal Hoarders • www.humansociety.org • www.aspca.org • www.childrenofhoarders.com • www.ocfoundation.org • www.1800gotjunk.com • www.hoardingcleanup.com • www.compulsivehoardingcenter.com • Media: A & E Network- HOARDERS

45. For More Information The Compulsive Hoarding Center Dr. Robin Zasio, Psy.D. Drrobin@sierrabg.com 916.366.0647