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Most people think these thoughts about things such as newspapers & magazines, clothing, books, notes, mail, photographs, lists, etc.: “I can’t get rid of things yet, because…” ”These things are sentimental, they mean something.” "I don't have the energy to work on it right now." “I just can’t decide what to do with it.” “I might need that again someday.” “I can recycle it and use that for something else.” “It’s still good-Maybe someone else can use it?” There are an estimated 3 million or more Compulsive Hoarders in the United States alone. If you or someone you care about compulsively saves things, you/they: |
But those with Compulsive Hoarding
Syndrome have those thoughts more
often, and have more anxiety and
distress associated with them.
By saving possessions, Compulsive
Hoarders postpone the decision to
discard something and, therefore, avoid
anxiety about making a mistake or being
less than perfectly prepared.*
Syndrome have those thoughts more
often, and have more anxiety and
distress associated with them.
By saving possessions, Compulsive
Hoarders postpone the decision to
discard something and, therefore, avoid
anxiety about making a mistake or being
less than perfectly prepared.*
"The general public thinks these people are just slobs or lazy, but actually most of the time it's because of not wanting to waste things, and so wanting to make the right decision about a thing that it becomes overwhelming and they keep it." -Jason Elias, OCD Institute at Harvard's McLean Hospital OCD Research Program |
| Compulsive Saving (Hoarding) |
 |  |  |  |
| It's not a character flaw. It's not laziness. |
*(Frost & Gross, 1993; Winsberg et al., 1999)
In summary:
Compulsive Hoarding is about the fear of
throwing something away that you might
need someday, of not being able to
remember it perfectly or that if thrown
away it will cause a problem or that
something bad may happen.
Compulsive Hoarding is about the fear of
throwing something away that you might
need someday, of not being able to
remember it perfectly or that if thrown
away it will cause a problem or that
something bad may happen.
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