Understanding the Psychological Condition of Compulsive Hoarding

There is an entire television series dedicated to the psychological condition known as compulsive hoarding, but the average person still probably doesn’t completely understand the implications, causes and nuances of this pathological disorder.

Compulsive hoarders are obsessed with acquiring possessions of any kind, or all kinds, and they are often unable to either use them or discard them. While it may be normal to collect things or become slightly obsessive about one’s possessions, the condition of compulsive hoarding goes far beyond a hobby or minor hang-up. Some hoarders even lose their families and other loved ones because they refuse to let go of their obsession with collected items that are dangerous, unsanitary and oftentimes worthless.

Psychological Understanding of Hoarding

The phenomenon of compulsive hoarding has not been researched to the extent of many other pathological obsessions or disorders, so there is no firm conclusion as to whether it is a symptom of another condition, or an isolated disorder. Some experts have theorized that it is a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder, for example. The following traits have also been associated with the condition we now refer to as compulsive hoarding:

• Hoarders acquire and fail to discard a great volume of material possessions, which may appear to have no value to others.

• Hoarders may begin to believe they should not return items they borrowed, or believe these items belong to them.

• Hoarding may cause distress or other defects in basic life functions.

• Hoarding may impair mobility and activities of daily living such as bathing, cooking and sleeping.

• The living space of the hoarder may be cluttered to the point that activities of daily living are impaired, if not impossible.

Many side effects can be attributed to compulsive hoarding, such as tripping over items or being crushed by items that have been stacked to the ceilings. Often, a hoarder’s living space is made so unsanitary that it’s not safe to live there. This is an especially big issue for hoarders who live with children.

Some hoarders believe that their condition is a collection or a hobby, particularly those who have a particular obsession, such as with old magazines, toys, tools or dolls. Others know that they need help and are simply unable to rid themselves of their excessive belongings. It is a condition which deserves a great deal of research to help us understand these afflicted individuals better.

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Author (Tisamit). Submitted on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 Time: 6:47 AM

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