Hoarding OCD, or Compulsive Hoarding, is a condition where individuals struggle to discard or part with possessions, regardless of their value. This difficulty often arises from intense emotional attachment, fear of needing the items in the future, or distress over losing them. As a result, individuals may accumulate clutter that disrupts daily life and impacts their well-being. Hoarding is often linked to deeper psychological issues, such as anxiety or trauma from childhood.
My thoughts about hoarding OCD
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Key Features of compulsive hoarding
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Obsessions:
- Intrusive and distressing thoughts about losing items or the need to keep them “just in case.”
- Fear that discarding items may result in harm or regret later.
- Strong feelings of anxiety or dread when considering decluttering.
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Compulsions:
- Hoarding possessions to relieve the distress caused by obsessions.
- Accumulating items in large quantities, even if they have no practical use (e.g., newspapers, trash, old clothes).
- Organizing or saving items to feel a sense of control or security.
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Emotional Distress:
- Severe anxiety, guilt, or shame associated with discarding items.
- Intense emotional attachment to objects, viewing them as part of identity or a source of safety.
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Impairment in Functioning:
- Clutter interferes with living spaces, making rooms unusable for their intended purpose (e.g., a bed covered with items, a kitchen unusable for cooking).
- Difficulty maintaining relationships or functioning at work due to hoarding behaviour.
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Avoidance:
- Avoiding decisions about what to discard or organise due to overwhelming anxiety.
- Avoiding visitors to hide the extent of clutter.
Other names for hoarding OCD
Hoarding OCD is sometimes referred to by alternative names or descriptions, though the terminology varies depending on context or focus. Here are some commonly used terms:
- Compulsive Hoarding
- Pathological Hoarding
- Obsessive Hoarding
- Clutter Syndrome
- Excessive Acquisition Disorder
- Hoarding Behavior (as part of OCD or another condition)
- Saving Disorder
- OCD-Related Hoarding
- Chronic Hoarding
- Object Attachment Disorder

Help for hoarding OCD
Learn that OCD is the symptom and you not being your true self is the cause...