Definition of Hoarding
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) defines hoarding as “the compulsive purchasing, acquiring, searching, and saving of items that have little or no value. The behavior usually has harmful effects—emotional, physical, social, financial, and even legal—for the hoarder and their family members.”
The descriptions below are typical of a person who hoards:
- Hates to throw away possessions (Commonly hoarded items are newspapers, magazines, paper and plastic bags, cardboard boxes, photographs, household supplies, food, and clothing.)
- Experiences severe anxiety over throwing anything away
- Has trouble making decisions about organizing possessions
- Feels overwhelmed or embarrassed by possessions
- Is suspicious of other people handling or touching possessions
- Has obsessive thoughts about possessions:
- Experiences fear of running out of an item and needing it later
- Checks the garbage to see if an item was accidentally discarded
- May have functional, financial, and social impairments:
- Social isolation
- Family or marital problems
- Financial difficulties
- Loss of living space inside the home (no place to eat, sleep, or cook)
The 5 Levels of Hoarding
People in this field use a scale of 1 to 5, with a “1” household having minor clutter and a “5” home dangerously packed to the point of blocked rooms, pathways, and exits. A “5” problem home sometimes contains buried animal or human waste.
Learn more about the Hoarding Scale
WARNING: Level 5 hoarding cases do not happen overnight. A level 2 or 3 can quickly become a level 5 if people are not paying attention to the signs, and do not intervene in time.
