What are some other symptoms of compulsive hoarding?
Compulsive hoarding is part of a discrete clinical syndrome that also includes indecisiveness, perfectionism, procrastination, difficulty organizing tasks, and avoidance behaviors. How disabling is compulsive hoarding? Compared to people with non-hoarding OCD, those with compulsive hoarding typically show: • More functional impairment • More social and family disability • More severe anxiety and depression symptoms • Older age when presenting for treatment • Poor insight into the severity of the problem The clutter that accumulates in the homes of people who hoard is often a serious fire risk. These homes are also frequently vulnerable to infestation from rodents, insects, and molds, which can put the inhabitants of the home at risk for various health problems, including asthma, allergies and infections. Family members are often frustrated by the gradual worsening of symptoms and the extent of the person’s impairment. They often want very much to help but feel powerless to do so. They
