Hoarding Disorder

Hoarding disorder is characterized by a persistent difficulty in parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value, as a result of a strongly perceived need to save the items and the resultant distress associated with the disposal or absence of such possessions. In the majority of cases, there is also excessive acquisition, which consists of collecting or purchasing extreme quantities of items that are not needed or for which there is no available space. The acquisition of items, coupled with the inability to part with such items, often leads to severe clutter, which can make a living space unusable.