Hoarding is becoming more and more recognized by the general public, largely due to media exposure. Some believe hoarding is a mental illness of its own, however true hoarding is much more than simply collecting miscellaneous items or having a home full of clutter. Rarely do hoarders exhibit symptoms of hoarding without other signs of mental illness.
Hoarding, Clutter, Collections and Sentimental Value (what is hoarding)
The American Psychiatric Association defines hoarding as “the inability to discard worn-out or worthless objects even when they have no sentimental value.” The excessive accumulation occurs to the point in which the intended use is impossible.
Hoarding goes well beyond the typical clutter found in many homes, particularly in homes with children, collections of various items or hanging on to items of sentimental value. Refusing to give up an old record collection or the inability to part with your great-great-grandmother's worn and tattered quilt collection passed down through generations is not an accurate definition of hoarding.
Hoarding ranges in severity from mild to severe and negatively impacts the individual’s environment, without regards to personal safety or the well-being of others. Identifying hoarding can be more difficult in mild cases where the items are hidden or stored in a secret location such as one room in the house, a public or private storage shed or a vehicle.
Hoarding generally starts out as mild, although can quickly become severe as the person is unable to keep the objects confined to their secret location. Rather than discarding old objects to make room for more, new piles and stacks start appearing in different locations.
The most severe cases of hoarding are easily identifiable. The person’s home is so filled with junk that the floor, shelves, counters and other surfaces appear non-existent. Large piles of stacked items create minimal pathways throughout the house; some areas such as a spare bedroom are not even accessible.
The hoarder may or may not see a problem. If he is able to identify that there is a problem, it is usually that there is not enough space to put everything, rather than a need to eliminate unnecessary items. He may be frustrated with all the stuff lying around everywhere, although this is generally a result of not having room to add more stuff.
Hoarding Money, Animals, Food, Clothes, Information and Trash
Hoarding is not limited to any specific set of objects. Hoarders who have obsessions and compulsions about certain items or objects may limit their excessive collections to specific items. For example, a person with a germ obsession and hand-washing compulsion may hoard bottles of soap, cleaning agents, cleaning equipment and other items, filling entire rooms with supplies.
Many hoarders are very specific as to the items they hoard such as money, food, clothing and animals due to unreasonable fears of not having enough or just in case it might be needed someday. Money hoarding is not the same as maintaining a savings account or investing in a retirement fund. Money is hoarded as something not to be spent or given away – ever. People who hoard money often go without the basic necessities of life, including food, adequate housing or clothing and refuse to help anyone else in need, despite having the financial means of doing so.
Food hoarding doesn’t mean going to the grocery store and stocking up on one or two month's worth of canned goods or stocking up when items are on sale. Food hoarders generally purchase large amounts of canned or boxed foods simply because they are on sale without any real intention of using the items. They cannot throw them out because that would be a waste of food, a waste of money and may be needed someday. For example, boxed macaroni and cheese goes on sale for ten boxes for a dollar as opposed to the regular price of two for a dollar. A food hoarder will purchase 20 to 40 boxes, store them away, purchase more the next time they go on sale and store them with the others. The food remains stored well beyond the expiration date, is not thrown out and continues to accumulate.
Animal hoarders acquire different animals over a period of time, regardless of whether they have the means to care for them or not. Animal hoarding is a serious problem resulting in uncared for and unfed animals, unsafe and unsanitary living conditions, and overcrowded environments. Basic needs are ignored and both the animals and humans suffer.
However, hoarding is not always limited to a single group of items or objects. Some hoarders keep everything – broken appliances, old newspapers or magazines, outdated coupons and mail, soda cans, glass jars, food containers, wrappers, boxes, worn out clothes, destroyed furniture and other items that most would consider trash.
They may keep all of their child's clothes and toys, despite now having grandchildren. Rather than handing down the used clothing to someone who could use it, it remains forever stored amongst the heaps and piles throughout the home. Hoarders are unable to give away or throw out anything just in case they might be able to use it someday. Unfortunately, everything piles up to the point where it becomes unusable and the hoarder has likely forgotten he even has the item in his possession.
Hoarding as a Sense of Control over Self and Environment (Why do hoarders hoard?)
Outsiders who see a hoarder's home filled with piles of useless stuff often think of the person as being lazy or sloppy. However, hoarders are mentally unable to discard the items, even if they are themselves bothered by the mess.
Hoarding is part of a larger issue – Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. Rarely is true hoarding seen as a stand-alone issue. Hoarders will also exhibit a combination of additional symptoms, including:
- Ordering and reordering their possessions. They tend to make sense out of the clutter by rearranging it, moving it from one place to another. This makes them feel as though they are cleaning up the mess or accomplishing something worthwhile. Most often, the end result is merely a relocation, rather than actually eliminating the problem
- An inability to accept help. Family members quickly find that the offer to help clean up or organize a hoarder's home is met with hostility, reluctance, resistance and hurt feelings. They are unable to allow others to help them because they feel it will not be done the way they want. If help is allowed, it is done so reluctantly and accompanied by a strict set of orders detailing what to touch, what not to touch, where to put this item and where not to put that one.
- Rigidity, stubbornness and controlling. Hoarders are often rigid and stubborn in all aspects of their life, views and beliefs. They must feel they are in complete control of themselves, their environment and other people in their life at all times. This often results in very few friendships or leisure activities involving others due to an inability to control others or as a result of their own stubborn and controlling behaviors.
Family members trying to help in a hoarding situation are often met with hostility or made to feel guilty for trying to help. The best way to help a family member or friend is by having them seek a mental health specialist.
In severe cases where children and pets are in danger because of the hoarding behaviors, contact the proper authorities immediately. The hoarder may resent you for taking this action, but the health, safety and well-being of children and pets must take the highest priority.
Additional Articles Related to Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder and Hoarding
Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder versus OCD Behavior
Animal Hoarders Abandon Pets in Foreclosed Home; 31 Found Dead
The Negative Impact and Consequences of Animal Hoarding
Characteristics of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
*While the designation ‘he’ may be used to represent all children or adults, the use of ‘he’ does not imply this is relevant only to males. The behaviors and strategies are equally relevant to females. The designation of ‘he’ or ‘she’ should be considered interchangeable.
Photos ©Malysa Stratton Louk. All rights reserved. Photos may not be copied, borrowed, altered or reproduced in any way, either electronically or in print, without prior written permission from the copyright holder.
References and Resources:
DSM-5 Development; American Psychiatric Association; May 19, 2010
“DSM-IV-TR Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders”; The American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
Malysa Stratton Louk - Malysa Stratton Louk is a freelance writer, journalist & photographer in the Pacific Northwest. View her full profile for more ...
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