The first symptoms of hoarding disorder often appear during the teenage to early adult years. You may get and save too many items, gradually build up clutter in living spaces, and have difficulty getting rid of things. As you grow older, you may continue getting and holding onto things that you may never use and don't have space for. By middle age, the clutter can become overwhelming as symptoms become more severe and increasingly difficult to treat. Problems with hoarding gradually develop over time and tend to be a private behavior. You may avoid having family, friends or repair workers in your home. Often, major clutter has developed by the time it reaches the attention of others. Symptoms of hoarding disorder may include:  Getting and keeping too many items that you may not have a need for right now and don't have space for. Ongoing difficulty throwing out or parting with your things, regardless of their actual value. Feeling a need to save these items and being upset by the thought of getting rid of them. Building up clutter to the point where you can't use rooms. Trying to be perfect and avoiding or delaying decisions. Problems with planning and organizing.  Getting too many items and refusing to part with them results in:  Disorganized piles or stacks of items, such as newspapers, clothes, paperwork, books or sentimental items. Items that crowd and clutter your walking spaces and living areas. Rooms can't be used for the intended purpose, such as not being able to sleep in your bed. Buildup of food or trash to large, unsanitary levels. Distress or problems functioning or keeping yourself, others and pets safe in your home. Conflict with others who try to reduce or remove clutter from your home. Relationship issues, avoiding social activities and employment problems. Difficulty organizing items and sometimes losing important items in the clutter.  With hoarding disorder, items are usually saved because:  You believe these items are unique or that you'll need them at some point in the future. You feel emotionally connected to items that remind you of happier times or represent beloved people or pets. You feel safe and comforted when surrounded by things. You don't want to waste anything.  Hoarding disorder is different from collecting. People who have collections, such as stamps or model cars, carefully search out specific items, organize them and display their collections. Collections can be large, but they aren't usually cluttered. Also, they don't cause the distress and problems functioning that are part of hoarding disorder. Hoarding animals People who hoard animals may collect dozens or even hundreds of pets. Animals may be confined inside or outside. Because of the large numbers, these animals often aren't cared for properly. The health and safety of the person and the animals are often at risk because of unsanitary conditions.
first symptoms hoarding disorder teenage early adult years  may save items  gradually build clutter living spaces  difficulty rid things  grow older  may continue holding may don't space for  middle age  clutter can overwhelming symptoms severe increasingly difficult treat  problems hoarding gradually develop time tend private behavior  may avoid family  friends repair workers home  often  major clutter developed time reaches attention others  symptoms hoarding disorder may include:  keeping items may need right now don't space for  ongoing difficulty throwing parting things  regardless actual value  feeling need save items being upset thought rid them  building clutter point can't rooms  trying perfect avoiding delaying decisions  problems planning organizing   items refusing part results in:  disorganized piles stacks items  newspapers  clothes  paperwork  books sentimental items  items crowd clutter walking spaces living areas  rooms can't intended purpose  being able sleep bed  buildup food trash large  unsanitary levels  distress problems functioning keeping yourself  pets safe home  conflict who try reduce remove clutter home  relationship issues  avoiding social activities employment problems  difficulty organizing items losing important items clutter   hoarding disorder  items because:  believe items unique you'll need point future  feel emotionally connected items remind happier times represent beloved people pets  feel safe comforted surrounded things  don't want waste anything   hoarding disorder collecting  people who collections  stamps model cars  carefully search specific items  organize display collections  collections can large  aren't cluttered  also  don't cause distress problems functioning part hoarding disorder  hoarding animals people who hoard animals may collect dozens hundreds pets  animals may confined inside outside  large numbers  animals aren't cared properly  health safety person animals risk unsanitary conditions
hoarding disorder