Hoarding disorder is defined as having a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. People with hoarding disorder save an excessive amount of items, leading to clutter and disruptions in their living spaces. Hoarding can occur in a range of severity, where those with mild symptoms may not have much of an impact on their lives, while those with severe symptoms can have issues functioning on a daily basis.
Compulsive hoarding has three defining features: the acquisition of and failure to get rid of a large number of items which most would deem worthless, unnecessary crowding of rooms which defeats their initial purpose, and significant anxiety or impairment due to hoarding. These defining features set compulsive hoarding apart from collecting. Collecting occurs when someone gathers specific objects, often belonging to sets, which are seen as interesting or valuable. Collecting is much more organized and the collectors take care of the objects and often arrange or display them. In contrast, hoarders accumulate random objects which are stored haphazardly. When around these objects, they may feel comfort or a sense of security.
Hoarding is also different from people who collect items to upcycle. They gather unused, damaged, or broken objects as well as trash with the intent of refurbishing or making…