CLUTTER. ACQUISITION. COMPULSION. MARIE KONDO. Hoarding has many popular connotations, but hoarding disorder itself is far more complex than is often acknowledged and is frequently misunderstood.
Hoarding disorder can be hard to identify, not least because its manifestations evolve in response to changing external stimuli. Common perceptions of hoarding range from jokes about having "shopping problems" to dragons encircling treasure on the silver screen; however, such simplistic understandings and representations of this behaviour do an injustice to those living with hoarding disorder. This is especially so in 2023 as individuals worldwide grapple with challenges like climate anxiety, the coronavirus pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis.
So, what is hoarding disorder, and how are current global events impacting the ways individuals understand and experience it?
What is hoarding disorder?
Hoarding is a disorder where a person accumulates items and stores them in a typically chaotic
