OCD Hoarding Is Not A Joke
OCD Hoarding Is Not A Joke
People who collect useless items or are unable to throw anything away are often thought of as “Magpies” and are commonly the butt of jokes. While this desire to collect or hoard things, while being most common in the elderly, is now being seen more often in younger people too. In many cases this is harmless but it can, at times, be a symptom of a serious mental condition – a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that is known as OCD hoarding. OCD hoarding occurs when a person collects all kinds of junk in the form of old magazines and papers, old clothes, broken appliances, bottles, and other useless material. We all tend to collect junk to some extent, but when the accumulation is in quantities far greater than there is any rational explanation for, it is OCD hoarding.
Symptoms Of OCD Hoarding
The typical symptoms of OCD hoarding are:
Collecting and never discarding broken, useless things that are never going to be used again
Buying goods in quantities far in excess of reason. An example of this would be buying a years supply of soap at one time.
Not just buying goods in large quantities but after buying them, being unwilling to use them and just wanting to store the items and collect more.
When finally being forced to throw away junk, obsessing about inadvertently discarding something of value or use.
Keeping detailed records of all the junk that has been stored and even keeping he records after the junk has finally been destroyed.
Refusing to listen to reason about the amount of junk being collected. The most common response of those suffering from OCD hoarding is “I may need it in the future.” No arguments against this perverted logic carry any weight with the patient.
These and other similar symptoms are not natural and should not be put down to old age or a natural desire to save. These are signs of OCD. People often do not associate OCD with hoarding, but the obsessive desire to keep collecting is a definite sign of OCD in the form of OCD hoarding. People with this condition have chaotic and usually unsanitary living conditions. They also find it difficult to socialize because all they are concerned about is their collection of objects and also the fear that once other people see how much useless material they have with them, they will become objects of ridicule.
If you have these symptoms or know of someone who does, contacting a clinical psychologist is essential. OCD hoarding is a serious condition and should not be taken as just an eccentricity. It can lead to other forms of OCD, if they are not already present, and can ruin a person’s life.
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