ABSTRACT
Many people have some belongings they consider special and it’s common to save some things because they could come in useful in the future. It is increasingly being recognised that hoarding can be a condition by itself, as well as sometimes being a symptom of other mental health problems. Hoarding disorder is a fairly new term. Doctors or healthcare professionals might also call this compulsive hoarding. If a person keeps more pets than they can adequately look after and doesn’t provide basic care for them – including food, shelter, toilet facilities and vet care – this is sometimes viewed as a type of hoarding behaviour. If hoarding causes distress to a person, they might want to consider seeking treatment. A growing number of professionals are aware of hoarding, including the need to help the person take things at their own pace and not pressure them to make changes faster than they want to.
