Compulsive Hoarding - Types, Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

Individuals with compulsive hoarding have difficulty discarding things, as they think there is a perceived need to save them. As a result, these individuals usually experience distress and have an excessive collection of items, irrespective of their value. However, in most cases, this disorder is treatable with cognitive behavioural therapy.

Read along to learn all about this disorder, its types, causes and treatment methods involved.

Compulsive hoarding is a mental health condition where the concerned individual feels a strong need to collect or save a lot of items. As a result, these people might also impair the functionality of their daily life.

These hoarded items generally include household goods, magazines, newspapers, and clothing. Apart from these, a few individuals may also collect a large number of animals that have not been cared for properly.

Additionally, compulsive hoarding might also move towards dangerous clutter. This condition might hamper your daily life, causing shame and stress in a social environment. Furthermore, it can also create unsafe and unhealthy living conditions.

Hoarding might come in different forms, and a few of the common types include the following –

1. Book Hoarding

People who have book hoarding often justify their hoarding by explaining their need to keep information in hand. Book hoarding is also considered bibliomania, which refers to saving papers, books, and files. Although it is most likely that they will never use it, they save it anyway.

2. Animal Hoarding

This form often starts with a noble intention of rescuing animals, but later it might result in animal hoarding. In this case, they start accumulating animals they can take care of, and rather than giving them away, these individuals often go on accumulating them. Although the common forms include dog or cat hoarding, individuals can accumulate any animal.

3. Shopper Hoarding

Shopper hoarding happens when an individual buys many things but doesn't use them. Instead, they usually keep these things unopened, with the price tag attached. These objects can come from anything like televisions, clothing, food, photos, collectables, etc.

4. Trash Hoarding

In general, trash hoarding implies the disorder where an individual saves or keeps a pile of garbage at their residence. But, in a few instances, they can also go through others' trash to find their own treasures to bring with them. Nevertheless, due to piling trash, there are chances of rodents, pests and vermin that may spread diseases and other viruses.

5. Food Hoarding

In the case of food hoarding, individuals usually bring a lot of food while shopping for groceries, despite their refrigerators being full. As a result of collecting a huge amount of food, they rot and attract different bugs, rodents, germs and viruses. Besides this, after buying excessive food, food hoarders generally don't throw out their food, and it starts piling up at their homes.

6. Paper Hoarding

Individuals with paper hoarding collect all types of papers like receipts, bills, books, invoices, magazines, coupons, photos, junk mail, report cards, recipes, etc. Unfortunately, this type of hoarding invites a significant risk of fire and can be life-threatening for some.

People suffering from compulsive disorder might not recognise their symptoms earlier. In a few cases, the onset of traumatic and stressful events, such as relationship problems, can be the onset of symptoms. Regardless, a few of the most common symptoms include the following –

• Experiencing stress while getting rid of items.
• Staying in unusable places due to excessive clutter of items.
•  Not trusting other people while they are touching your possession.
• Anxiety about needing a thing in the future.
• Not knowing where different things are kept.

People with compulsive hoarding may hoard for the following reasons, which are their main trigger points.

• They believe that the item will be valuable or useful in the future.
• The individuals believe the item's value is too great to throw away.
• They have sentimental value that is irresponsible or unique.
• The individuals don't know what to do with these items, so they keep them.

Additionally, a few experts also believe that hoarding disorder is associated with –

• Perfectionism
• Indecisiveness
• Disorganisation
• Procrastination
• Distractibility

Although the causes of compulsive hoarding are a moot topic, it is commonly believed that a combination of several factors primarily develops this.

1. Perfectionism and Worrying

If you hoard things, you are most likely to be a perfectionist. This is because people who hoard things fear making mistakes and find it hard to make decisions. They also find it difficult to plan ahead or work to perform certain tasks.

2. Difficult Past Experiences

Some people with painful experiences and complicated feelings usually go through hoarding. Often these individuals find it hard to express their emotions, believing that hoarding keeps their anxiety in check. They also believe that hoarding helps them cope with their mental health and helps them avoid feeling afraid or upset.

3. Trauma and Loss

In a few cases, a traumatic incident can be linked to the start of hoarding. A few such instances include the following –

• Being bullied, abused, or harassed, including racism.
• A breakup with your partner or losing someone very close.
• Experiencing health problems.
• Feeling alone or isolated.
• Experiencing extended periods of stress.

4. Childhood Experiences

A few believe that hoarding might relate to the childhood experience of losing things. Also, it extends to not owning things or having uncaring parents. Furthermore, a few experiences might also include –

• Monetary worries while growing up.
• Having belongings that are taken or thrown away.
• Emotional abuse or hardship from parents and caretakers.

In general, compulsive hoarding starts from 11 to 15 years of age, and the condition usually deteriorates with age. Hence, this is common in adults and includes a few risk factors.

• People with compulsive hoarding generally show indecisiveness.
• Secondly, you are at greater risk of compulsive hoarding if you have it in your family.
• Lastly, if you lead a stressful life or go through something traumatic, you are at a higher risk of compulsive hoarding.

Compulsive hoarding can be difficult to diagnose, as most people do not accept the symptoms. Additionally, in most instances, individuals suffering from compulsive hoarding don't seek treatment for fear of losing their belongings. 

However, if you feel that you are suffering from compulsive hoarding, visit a psychiatrist, and for diagnosis, they usually ask a few questions, such as –

• How tough or challenging is it for you to get rid of possessions that other individuals seem to abandon easily?
• How challenging is it to use rooms at home because of your belongings?
• How tough is it to arrange things or decide their place in your room?
• To what extent do your possessions impact overall daily activities?
• Does your clutter impact your social, school, work, or family commitments or relationships?

Sometimes, a doctor might also need to visit the patients' residences, or the patient has to show them a picture of their residence. Additionally, one must display the following signs of Compulsive Hoarding for diagnosis.

• Extended problems with discarding possessions, irrespective of their value.
• Significant problems related to losing items.
• Belongings that crowd primary living spaces and hinder their proper use.

With proper treatment, most individuals can lessen the symptoms of compulsive hoarding and lower the risk of complications. Healthcare professionals also treat this problem with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

During CBT, a person will most likely experience improved relaxation, enhanced decision-making skills, and be more organised. This quality also enhances the probability of future management of compulsive hoarding.

Apart from CBT, in some cases, medications are also prescribed as a treatment for compulsive hoarding. This is especially true if compulsive hoarding is related to other mental conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Irrespective of the stage, you must consult a doctor if you suspect you suffer from compulsive hoarding. However, if you have symptoms such as –

• You have other symptoms such as anxiety, depression etc.
• Inability to perform everyday tasks, such as cooking, bathing, cleaning, working, etc.
• Your collection of possessions causes interpersonal problems.
• You are facing anxiety or embarrassment.
• You live in an unhygienic and unhealthy ambience due to your possessions.

Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to prevent compulsive hoarding disorder. However, in most cases, you can develop symptoms of compulsive hoarding at an early age, but later it can become a mental health issue.

However, in addition to professional treatments, you can opt for a few home remedies and lifestyle changes. In this regard, a few of the steps include the following –

• Stick To a Treatment Plan: Although initially, it might feel tough to achieve, sticking to a treatment plan can be fruitful. With time, you will feel stress-free, increased motivation, which may reduce hoarding.
• Seek Assistance: If you feel you are hoarding, seek immediate assistance and accept that you need medical assistance. In a few instances, local bodies organise camps and assist those who seek help related to issues. Additionally, avoid staying alone if feasible because loneliness and isolation can make the situation more challenging.
• Get Proper Nutrition: One of the essential aspects is getting into a proper diet, as proper nutrition can abate a few symptoms. Also, prepare essential meals with your existing foods rather than buying new ones.
• Take a Step At a Time: You can stop a few of the causes at the start by taking a small step at a time. After that, you can start addressing larger problems to get rid of compulsive hoarding.

According to a study, it is proved that compulsive hoarding is more common in older adults, although it might begin during adolescence. Also, during hoarding, the decision-making capabilities of an individual are usually hampered; hence, an individual might need companionship. So, if you feel your child or your loved one is suffering from compulsive hoarding, seek immediate help from medical professionals.