Knowra Hoarding disorder Hoarding disorder Hoarding disorder is a mental disorder marked by persistent difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value. The resulting accumulation causes distress or compromises the safe use of living spaces.
Discarding : The act of getting rid of possessions by throwing them away, giving them away, or otherwise relinquishing them. Persistent difficulty with this everyday action is central to hoarding disorder.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders : A classification manual published by the American Psychiatric Association for diagnosing mental disorders. Its diagnostic criteria define hoarding disorder as a distinct diagnosis.
Cognitive behavioral therapy : A structured psychotherapy that targets patterns of thought and behavior linked to distress. Hoarding-focused therapy adapts this approach to beliefs, decisions, and behaviors around possessions.
Activities of daily living : Basic self-care activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, and using the toilet. Severe accumulation can obstruct access to facilities needed for everyday self-care.
Compulsive buying disorder : A pattern of repetitive, excessive buying that causes distress or significant impairment. Excessive acquisition can add possessions to the accumulation, though it is not required for diagnosis.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder : A mental disorder involving obsessions, compulsions, or both, which cause distress or impairment. Hoarding disorder was once classified within this diagnosis but is now separate.
Motivational interviewing : A collaborative counseling method that strengthens a person's own motivation for change. It can support engagement when discarding feels threatening or unwanted.
Housing insecurity : Uncertainty or instability in a person's access to safe, adequate, and lasting housing. Unsafe conditions or tenancy disputes can place housing at risk.
Executive function : A set of cognitive processes involved in planning, working memory, attention, and self-control. Difficulties with organization and decision-making can complicate managing possessions.
Collecting : The deliberate acquisition and organization of items belonging to a category or reflecting an interest. Collecting is usually purposeful and organized, unlike distressing accumulation that impairs living spaces.
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