Hoarding: recent publications

January 12, 2024Hoarding disorder (HD) is significantly more common in people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than it is in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), according to a study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.1Researchers from the Brain Center Firenze in Italy and McMaster University in Canada found that adults with ADHD had a substantially higher prevalence of hoarding disorder (32%) than did adults with OCD (8%) or adults in the control group (4%).A similar pattern emerged during a second analysis focused on hoarding disorder symptoms of excessive clutter and difficulty discarding. Twenty-two percent of the ADHD group had the condition compared to 6% of the OCD group and 4% of the control group.The American Psychiatric Association defines hoarding disorder as a distinct psychiatric condition characterized by persistent difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value, resulting in severely cluttered living spaces, distress, and impairment.The APA classified hoarding disorder as a subtype of OCD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2013.

“All the horizontal surfaces are covered,” says Dr. Randy O. Frost, Ph.D., the Harold Edward and Elsa Siipola Israel Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Smith College.

“All the horizontal surfaces are covered,” says Dr. Randy O. Frost, Ph.D., the Harold Edward and Elsa Siipola Israel Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Smith College.

Telltale signs of ADHD like indecision, distractibility, and impulsivity may easily give rise to a disorganized home or office. To an untrained eye, ADHD clutter may resemble a hoarding disorder. Differentiating these two related but distinct conditions requires a clear understanding of what hoarding disorder is — and what it is not.Hoarding is an accepted psychiatric diagnosis that develops from vulnerabilities, information processing problems, and beliefs about and attachments to possessions.The American Psychiatric Association first classified hoarding disorder as a subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Not available August 17? Don’t worry. Register now and we’ll send you the replay link to watch at your convenience.The clutter that accompanies ADHD is often confused with a hoarding disorder.

hoarding behaviors, and it’s frustrating and painful for the whole family.Since I don’t know all the circumstances – Was there an emotional trigger that led to the impulse purchasing? What is it specifically about your cleaning methods that your sister doesn’t like? Is the clutter specifically in your sister’s room or has it taken over the common living areas? – I’m going to focus on the best way for you to approach your sister in this process. But before we dive in, there are two important points I would like to mention.First, I want to help you understand how your sister may be thinking about her possessions.