Hoarding Disorder (HD), new in DSM-5, is remarkably prevalent, affecting 2% to 5% of the population. Hoarding symptoms were long considered an aspect of OCD, but it has been increasingly recognized that they differ, phenomenologically and epidemiologically; the new DSM-5 diagnosis formalizes this recognition. HD is a complex disorder consisting of problems with attachments to possessions that lead to difficulty discarding and organizing them. Together, these features lead to severely cluttered living spaces that can pose serious health and safety threats. The vast majority of those with HD acquire excessively, mostly through buying or collecting things that others have discarded. Hoarding behaviors appear early in life and typically get progressively worse over the life span. Cognitive behavioral therapy specifically designed to treat hoarding has been shown to be effective, though many still suffer from symptoms after treatment. Several medications have shown promise, but no controlled clinical trials have been conducted.
Hoarding to the heart’s content: a case series and detailed case report of hoarding treatment in heart failure
