Hoarding disorder
A hoarding disorder is where someone acquires an excessive number of itemsand stores them in a chaotic manner. The items can be of little or no monetary value and usually result in unmanageable amounts of clutter.
It's considered to be a significant problem if:
Hoarding disorders are challenging to treat, because many people who hoard frequently don't see it as a problem, or have little awareness of how it's impacting their life or the lives of others. Manyothers do realise they have a problem, but are reluctant to seek help because they feel extremely ashamed, humiliated or guilty about it.
It's really important to encourage a person who is hoarding to seek help, as their difficulties discarding objects can not onlycause loneliness and mental health problems, but also pose a health and safety risk. If not tackled, it's a problem that will probably never go away.
This page explains:
Read about hoarding disorders, including why it might happen, why it's a problem, and what can be done about it.
The reasons why someone begins hoarding aren't fully understood. It can be a symptom of another condition. For example, someone with mobility problems may be physically unable to clear the huge amoun
Many people collect items such as books or stamps and this isnt considered a problem. The difference between a"hoard"and a"collection"is how these items are organised. A collection is usually well-or
Someone who has a hoarding disorder may typically: keep or collect items that may have little or no monetary value, such as junk mail and carrier bags, or items they intend to reuse or repair (see b
Somepeople with ahoarding disorderwill hoard a range of items, while others may just hoard certain types of objects. Items that are often hoarded include: newspapers andmagazines books clothes l
A hoarding disorder can be a problem for several reasons. It cantake over the person's life, making it very difficult for them to get around their house. It can cause their work performance, personal
If you think a family member or someone you know has a hoarding disorder, try to persuade them to come with you to see a GP. This may not be easy, as someone who hoards might not think they need help
It's not easy to treathoarding disorders, even when theperson is prepared to seek help, butit can be overcome. The main treatment is cognitive behavioural therapy(CBT) . The therapist will help the p