Compulsive Hoarding and Other Mental Health Disorders

While Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is often noted in individuals with hoarding behaviors, there are other mental health disorders that coexist with compulsive hoarding. In a 2007 presentation to the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, Dr. David Tolin cited major depressive disorder (MDD), social anxiety disorder (SAD) and general anxiety disorder (GAD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in addition to OCD may coexist with compulsive hoarding.

Randy Frost and Gail Sketetee, in their fascinating 2010 book Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things, say that hoarding may be an impulse control disorder (ICD). Today hoarding is not listed as a mental health disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). There is support to include hoarding in the next revision of the DSM, and additional study is definitely needed to learn more about complex hoarding behaviors.

If you or a loved one is affected by your or someone else's hoarding behaviors, take time to learn more about hoarding. Carefully choose mental health professionals and professional organizers that have training and experience in working with those with hoarding behaviors.

If you have experience with compulsive hoarding and other mental health disorders, we would like to hear from you.

Comments

[Spence]

"Hoarding" is a horrible problem. I've watched the "Hoarders" tv-show and it's incredible the role OCD plays into the lives of these people.

Interesting article.

[Ellen]

Thanks, Spence, for your interest in hoarding behaviors. As more research is directed toward these behaviors, we will all learn more about the interconnectedness of hoarding and mental health conditions.

[t]

My wife and I have been married for 17yrs. At the beginning of our relationship she kept a few boxes of old stuff that I would consider fell with normal behavior. However since about 10yrs ago it has progressed into a hoarding compulsion of Trash. I no longer try to understand the disorder. I really try to just love her. When I tried to understand the disorder, it only led to frustration and pushes us further apart. She would say that the reason she holds onto trash is becuase of the stress "I" cause her. She says that I cannot classify her as a hoarder because im not a doctor even though its totally and completely obvious that she is. Our 2 kids are exposed to this disability. I fear at this point she is causing harm to them. They love their mother and even tolerate her ways. My question is. Is there any evidence that shows that ocd or hoarding is a learned behavior? She is insisting that the kids follow her ocd prodocol when throwing things away and I fear she is making them hoarders. Whats your thoughts?

[Ellen]

T., thank you for expressing the issues your family is experiencing. I know you are concerned about your wife and children. OCD can only be diagnosed by a mental health professional. All people who hoard do not have OCD. A free informative resource that others have found helpful is "What You Need to Know About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder." It is available at www.ocfoundation.org. Click on "About OCD" and you will find the option to download the document which also has a section on "Families and OCD." Check out the part on "Family Accomodation Behaviors." Your post here indicates you are looking for more information. That truly is the first step!

[depression symptoms]

Knowing that someone is truly affected by your or someone else's hoarding behaviors is vital to the healing process