Hoarding Disorder
Understanding Hoarding Disorder
Hoarding disorder is a complex mental health condition that leads individuals to compulsively save items, often regardless of their value, and feel extreme distress at the thought of discarding them. Over time, this behavior can create cluttered, even hazardous living conditions, and interfere with relationships, work, and well-being.
People with hoarding disorder may accumulate items like newspapers, household items, clothes, or even animals, often with no system of organization. The emotional attachment to these possessions makes it incredibly difficult to let go, even when the space becomes unsafe.
Is Hoarding Related to Anxiety?
Hoarding disorder is part of the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) spectrum, but it’s now recognized as a distinct mental health diagnosis. Many people with hoarding disorder don’t exhibit other OCD symptoms, which is why it’s classified separately in the DSM-5.
Hoarding vs. Collecting
Unlike collectors, who intentionally curate and organize meaningful items, people who hoard often accumulate possessions haphazardly. The clutter is not purposeful, and it can significantly impair daily functioning, such as cooking, cleaning, or sleeping.
Who Experiences Hoarding Disorder?
Hoarding behavior usually begins in the teen years and intensifies with age. It’s especially common in adults over 60 and in those with underlying conditions like depression, anxiety, or trauma.
How Common Is It?
An estimated 2% to 6% of U.S. adults meet the criteria for hoarding disorder, though many more go undiagnosed or untreated due to shame or denial.
Symptoms and Causes
Common Symptoms
People with hoarding disorder may experience:
- Chronic difficulty discarding possessions
- Emotional distress when trying to let go of items
- Anxiety about future need for discarded items
- Cluttered and unusable living spaces
- Isolation from friends and family
- Distrust of others touching their possessions
Cognitive symptoms may also include:
- Difficulty making decisions
- Procrastination
- Disorganization
- Trouble focusing
Why Do People Hoard?
Though the exact cause is unknown, hoarding is often linked to:
- Traumatic life events (e.g., loss, divorce)
- Family history of hoarding
- Co-occurring mental health disorders like OCD, ADHD, or depression
- Brain-based differences in decision-making, attention, and memory
- Substance use disorders
Diagnosis and Treatment
Most people with hoarding disorder don’t seek help on their own, family members often raise concerns when clutter affects safety or hygiene. Diagnosis typically involves a psychological evaluation and confirmation of behaviors like persistent difficulty discarding, emotional distress, and compromised living spaces.
How Clamon Counseling Can Help
At Clamon Counseling, we specialize in treating hoarding disorder with empathy, discretion, and evidence-based care. Our mental health professionals work closely with clients to uncover the emotional root causes of hoarding, identify unhelpful thought patterns, and build healthier habits.
We offer:
- Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Learn how to manage anxiety around discarding items, develop decision-making skills, and improve organization.
- Trauma-Informed Counseling: If your hoarding is linked to past loss or trauma, our therapists provide a safe, nonjudgmental space for healing.
- Family Support & Education: We help loved ones understand how to offer supportive, constructive involvement without enabling the behavior.
Medication
In some cases, antidepressants such as SSRIs may be prescribed, especially if the individual also struggles with depression or generalized anxiety. Clamon Counseling can collaborate with your physician or psychiatrist as part of a holistic treatment plan.
Outlook and Prognosis
Without treatment, hoarding disorder can worsen over time. However, with professional help from specialized providers like Clamon Counseling, many people begin to reclaim their living space and their lives. Recovery is a gradual process, but every step counts.
Treatment outcomes are better when therapy begins early, especially for adolescents or young adults showing signs of compulsive saving behaviors.
Prevention and Support
There is no guaranteed way to prevent hoarding disorder, but recognizing early signs and seeking help promptly can greatly improve long-term outcomes. If your child, partner, or family member shows signs of chronic clutter and distress about discarding, Clamon Counseling is here to help.
When to Seek Help
Contact Clamon Counseling if:
- Hoarding is affecting daily life, relationships, or safety
- You or someone you care about feels ashamed or overwhelmed by clutter
- Living conditions have become unsanitary or unsafe
We also work with local public health resources and animal welfare organizations, if needed, to provide coordinated care in complex hoarding cases.
A Final Word from Clamon Counseling Services
Hoarding disorder is not a matter of laziness, it’s a real, treatable mental health condition that requires compassion, skill, and persistence. At Clamon Counseling, we walk alongside you with nonjudgmental support and practical tools to help you regain control of your life and space.
You don’t have to face it alone. Reach out today to schedule a confidential consultation.