The Mayo Clinic has defined hoarding as “the excessive collection of items, along with the inability to discard them.” So are you or someone you live with a hoarder? Do you live with clutter? Have you ever considered that you or your loved one may actually be suffering from a mental disorder? Hoarding has often been thought to be related to OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
So what are the symptoms of hoarding? It often starts out as “collecting” certain items whether valuable or not. A hoarder will think nothing of covering all surfaces in the home from counter tops to stairwells. This behavior will not seem odd to the hoarder as they do not see themselves as a hoarder, they are a “collector.” Although the hoarder themselves may think they are a collector, a true collector searches out very specific items and will display them, in most cases hoarders are not displaying their items, they are hoarding them most often because it makes them feel safe.
Hoarding does not only affect the behavior, thoughts and emotions of the person suffering from the disease, but also the ones around them. Symptoms to be aware of may begin out small such as keeping magazines or junk mail but may escalate quickly. There are many symptoms to be aware of when it comes to hoarding such as the inability to throw away things whether it is a dead potted plant or a bag of trash, some hoarders will have excessive amounts of trash in their home due to the inability to let things go. Other symptoms to be aware of are:
Living space clutter Difficulty with their daily lives, procrastination, and decision making skills Difficulty discarding items including trash They are embarrassed or ashamed to let anyone into their home No organizational skills Very little social interaction Attachment to items
It is not unusual for the person hoarding items to believe that they are doing so because the item will be needed on a later occasion or that it may increase in value if they hold on to it. It is also not unusual for a hoarder to keep items that remind them of either certain people or a time when they were happy, emotional attachment may play a role in the items that are hoarded.
It is also important to note that these symptoms could begin as early as the teenage years and will only escalate as they get older which is why intervention and therapy is something to be considered as soon as possible once symptoms are noticed in the individual. Also important to note is that a hoarder does not only have to be someone who hoards items, but may also hoard animals. The person who hoards animals may believe that they are rescuing the animal and “plans” on finding it a good home but that will never come to fruition.
If you or a loved one are displaying any of the symptoms of hoarding it is advisable that you make contact with either your doctor or an organization in your area that offers support and counseling.
Mayo Clinic Staff “Hoarding Definition” Mayo Clinic
Randy A. Sansone, MD “Hoarding” Psychiatry
“Hoarding” CNN Health