It's not clear what causes hoarding.
Some researchers believe that hoarding occurs on a continuum —some people may simply be considered harmless pack rats, while others have a much more severe form of collecting that endangers their life.
Hoarding is currently considered a subtype of obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD), and it's sometimes called OCD hoarding. It may one day be classified as a separate disorder, though.
Exactly what triggers hoarding compulsions and desires is still under investigation. Like OCD, it may be related, at least in part, to genetics and upbringing.
-Mayo Clinic
|
|