 Hoarding is usually considered a subtype of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Like other compulsive behaviors, hoarding is an effort to manage the anxiety raised by obsessive doubts. There are varying levels of hoarding behavior. A diagnosis of OCD of the hoarding type is made when there is significant distress or disruption to feelings of self-worth, interpersonal relationships, education, occupation, housing, finances, legal issues, or health as a result of hoarding behavior.
Symptoms vary from person to person, but may include:
- Saving items seen by most people as unneeded or worthless, (i.e., not true collectibles).
- Compulsively buying or saving excessive quantities of items of any kind.
- Treating all saved items as equally valuable--whether or not the object has sentimental, financial or functional value.
- Experiencing intense anxiety or distress when attempting to discard-or even think about discarding-what most others view as useless objects.
- Engaging in saving activity to combat anxiety-provoking thoughts such as: "What if I run out?" "What if I need to know something and don't have the information available?" "What if I put it away and can't find it?" "What if the way I organize it isn't the right way?" "What if I throw it away but the day comes when I really need it?"
- Being unable to use furniture, rooms, or entire homes in standard ways due to saved items.
- Significant deterioration in housekeeping due to excessive clutter.
CAUSES: There appears to be a strong genetic component to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder of the hoarding type. Modeling and conditioning may also play a role in the development of this disorder. OCD usually involves over-activity and/or under-activity of brain regions that underpin the observed behaviors. Hoarding worries and behaviors can begin in childhood, even as young as age five.
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