What Is Hoarding Disorder?
People with hoarding disorder excessively save items that others may view as worthless. They have persistent difficulty getting rid of or parting with possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts their ability to use their living or work spaces.
Hoarding is not the same as collecting. Collectors look for specific items, such as model cars or stamps, and may organize or display them. People with hoarding disorder often save random items and store them haphazardly. In most cases, they save items that they feel they may need in the future, are valuable or have sentimental value. Some may also feel safer surrounded by the things they save.
Hoarding disorder occurs in an estimated 2 to 6 percent of the population and often leads to substantial distress and problems functioning. Some research show hoarding disorder is more common in males than females. It is also more common among older adults--three times as many adults 55 to 94 years are affected by hoarding disorder compared to adults 34 to 44 years old.
Consequences
Hoarding disorder can cause problems in relationships, social and work activities and other important areas of functioning. Potential consequences of serious hoarding include health and safety concerns, such as fire hazards, tripping hazards and health code violations. It can also lead to family strain and conflicts, isolation and loneliness, unwillingness to have anyone else enter the home and an inability to perform daily tasks such as cooking and bathing in the home.
Diagnosis
Causes/Risk Factors
Treatment
References
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition. 2013. American Psychiatric Publishing.
Hoarding assessment scales:
UCLA Hoarding Severity Scale (Saxena et al, 2007)
Saving Inventory-revised (Frost et al, 2004)
Hoarding Rating Scale-Interview (Tolin et al, 2010)
Physician Review By:
Ranna Parekh, M.D., M.P.H.
July 2017
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