ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on one of the new additions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) that has garnered the least discussion. It will act as an illustration of how changes to the DSM come about, what impact they may have, and how even the least controversial of them can be problematic. Hoarding disorder is included as a separate disorder for the first time in the DSM-5. Hoarding disorder has an estimated prevalence of up to six per cent, providing a huge market for any company that manages to get a drug approved for its treatment. The reviewers briefly discuss the potential harms and benefits of including hoarding disorder in the DSM. They conclude that on balance the new diagnosis can be hoped helpful in that it will "likely increase public awareness, improve identification of cases, and stimulate both research and the development of specific treatments for hoarding disorder".
