The Mayo Clinic defines hoarding as the excessive collection of things, along with the inability to discard them. Such behavior creates unsanitary conditions and, in severe cases, the inability to function normally. Although hoarding has become more recognized in recent years thanks to television reality shows, it is a psychological disease that experts say is often related to or a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The major issue, they say, is that many people who have the disorder fail to recognize it as a problem, making treatment extremely challenging.

USA Today by Kathy Strong

Tags: hoarding, obsessive-complusive disorder, Psychology and Psychiatry, treatment, Uncategorized, USA Today