ABSTRACT
Compulsive hoarding is a potentially disabling condition that has been de§ned as “(1) the acquisition of, and failure to discard a large number of possessions; (2) living spaces su±ciently cluttered so as to preclude activities for which those spaces were designed; and (3) signi§cant distress or impairment in functioning caused by the hoarding” (Frost & Hartl, 1996, p. 341). Individuals who compulsively hoard accumulate a large number of items at their home and/or workplace and keep them in a disorganized manner. ˜ey are unable to resist strong urges to collect excessively, to buy compulsively, or to acquire free things. In addition they are reluctant to get rid of possessions, even those with very limited utility or monetary value, because of erroneous beliefs about responsibility, remarkable emotional attachment, and the need to control their possessions (Steketee & Frost, 2003). Individuals with compulsive hoarding feel intense discomfort and anxiety when a stranger touches, moves, or alters possessions without explicit permission and feel as if they had lost control over their
Introduction 115 Hoarding 116 Hoarding and Compulsive Buying 118 Clinical Implications 120 Treating Excessive Acquisition in Hoarding 121 Conclusion 123 References 124
Steketee, Kim, Tarko€, & Hood, 2009).
