Noah’s syndrome is a disease characterized by excessive accumulation of animals. People who suffer from this syndrome can accumulate more than a hundred animals in their home, causing serious harm to themselves, the animals, and the conditions of the house. Furthermore, people with this pathology are not aware that they suffer from it, which makes it difficult to address. If you want what Noah’s syndrome is, keep reading this Psychology-Online article: Noe syndrome: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment.
What is Noah syndrome
What is Noah syndrome? He Noah syndrome refers to the pathological accumulation of animals at home. It is, therefore, a animal obsession disease. Noah’s syndrome is an accumulation disorder, in which there is a pathological and obsessive accumulation, so objects or, in this case, animals are collected excessively and the person feels unable to get rid of them. Although they are different, it has a certain relationship with him.
This disorder has been conceptualized not only as a mental health problem, but also as a public health problem. This consideration is due to the fact that it does not only affect the person who suffers from it, but also affects the animals themselveswhich are not maintained in the appropriate conditions and, finally, the deterioration that occurs in the home due to extreme hygiene deficiency. The deterioration in the home in which the excessive accumulation of animals occurs can affect the health of the rest of the neighborhood.
Noah syndrome in cats
The animals that are most accumulated, according to studies, are cats, so this syndrome is related to or can be known as Noah syndrome in cats or one illness and obsession with cats.
Noah syndrome in dogs
However, despite cats being the most common animal in the accumulation of people with Noah’s syndrome, dogs have levels of accumulation similar to those of cats. In the case of dogs, it is called Noah syndrome in dogs. In addition, various farm animals and, to a lesser extent, exotic and wild animals may also be involved.
Noah syndrome: causes
This syndrome has a varied etiology, so the causes of Noah syndrome They are diverse. Although this pathology has been identified in people with intense feelings of loneliness, extreme isolation and absence of social and/or family ties, the coexistence of this syndrome with other mental disorders is common, which could explain this accumulation behavior:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): In this disorder, repetitive rituals are common to counteract the anxiety suffered. Hoarding behavior could be one of the person’s own compulsions or rituals.
- Psychotic disorders: In this type of disorder there is an alteration in the perception of reality, so people may be unable to notice that the animals they accumulate are in dire conditions, as well as that they live in an unhealthy situation.
- Affective disorders: People who have extreme difficulties socializing and establishing emotional and social bonds may seek to alleviate this isolation with the accumulation of animals.
- Traumatic losses or breakups: Faced and traumatic, some people may project their need to be cared for by adopting and excessively hoarding animals, which they believe they are saving and caring for.
- Alcohol and/or other substance abuse disorders: This pathological behavior has also been identified in people with alcohol and other substance abuse with great cognitive impairment, which is why they present impulsive behaviors not based on rationality.
- Bipolar disorder: People with have phases of mania, which are characterized by the presence of impulsive, risky and irresponsible behaviors. In the manic phase, it is possible that one of the reckless behaviors they develop involves hoarding animals.
- Age-related diseases such as dementia or: in these types of diseases there is usually a deterioration in cognitive abilities, an alteration of personality and the perception of reality. This symptomatology can lead to the pathological accumulation of animals.
Noah syndrome: symptoms
Currently, the Noah syndrome It is not included in the diagnostic manual of mental disorders. However, research on different cases of excessive accumulation of animals has managed to define a series of symptoms that allow the identification of those people who suffer from this pathology. These are the most common symptoms of Noah’s syndrome:
- Existence of a excessive and pathological accumulation of animals by a person.
- Inability to care for these animals adequately and cover their basic needs.
- Unhygienic conditions and unhealthiness in the person’s home that pose a risk to the person themselves and sometimes the neighborhood.
- Denial of the problem It is another of the symptoms of Noah’s syndrome. The person is unable to perceive the state of the animals (malnutrition, illness or even death) and their own home.
- Person she perceives herself as a savior of animals, due to the alteration and distortion of perception that coexists with this syndrome.
- Presence of aggressive behaviors if you try to confront the person with the situation or enter their home.
- They usually accumulate a single speciesbut cases have also been reported in which more than one type of animal lived together.
- In most cases animals are collected from the street.
- Cases of Noah syndrome or animal obsession disease are usually reported by the neighborhood or social services.
- Sometimes, the person with this pathology has minors or elderly people in their care, whom they also is unable to attend.
Noah syndrome: treatment
How to treat Noah syndrome? Normally, when a case of Noah’s syndrome or animal obsession disease is detected legally intervenes with the removal of animals. However, in many cases psychological attention is not given to the person with this hoarding problem. Currently there is no psychological intervention protocol for this pathology profile, however, some indications for the treatment of Noah’s syndrome have been described:
- As mentioned above, Noé syndrome usually coexists and is a consequence of another mental pathology. Therefore, it is necessary a comprehensive case evaluationto design an intervention adapted to the specific needs and problems of the person.
- At first, it is necessary to psychoeducation or explanation of the syndrome that affects the person, promoting awareness of it, understanding of it, its causes and its symptoms.
- You can apply the , in which use is made of the exposure techniques with response prevention (being able to expose oneself to animals without having to accumulate them), training in Techniques of breathing and relaxation for the exhibition and cognitive restructuringwhich generates more rational and objective thoughts and beliefs about reality.
- Another useful approach is one focused on motivation, which stimulates home organization and restructuring and daily routines, promoting order and daily stability.
- Education is also necessary Healthy habitsself-care and hygiene to prevent relapses and generate a beneficial lifestyle for the person.
- so that the person can begin to socialize with people and establish social ties that prevent the isolation of the person and the need to seek affection in the accumulation of animals. The techniques of promotion of self-esteem and self-concept They are also useful to promote the effectiveness of social skills training, and promote safety in socialization environments.
- Other models emphasize the similarities between addictive behaviors and Noah’s syndrome, so it would be necessary to work on the impulse control through the discomfort tolerance technique of .
- In addition to all of the above, as Noah’s syndrome normally coexists with other mental disorders and is a consequence of these, it will be necessary to develop a specific psychological intervention aimed at the mental pathology that the person presents.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Calvo, P., Duarte, C., Bowen, J., Bulbena, A., & Fatjó, J. (2014). Characteristics of 24 cases of animal hoarding in Spain. Animal Welfare23(2), 199-208.
- Patronek, G.J. (1999). Hoarding of animals: an under-recognized public health problem in a difficult-to-study population. Public health reports114(1), 81.
- Patronek, G. (2001). The problem of animal hoarding. Municipal Lawyer19(6), 19.
- Reinisch, A. I. (2008). Understanding the human aspects of animal hoarding. The Canadian Veterinary Journal49(12), 1211.