Accumulating unnecessary things or objects can be a habit, a hobby, or a symptom of a larger problem such as Compulsive Hoarding Disorder. This OCD is often confused with the famous Diogenes Syndrome, since in this case it is also about accumulating. However, there are some differences between Compulsive Hoarding Disorder and Diogenes Syndrome. Do you want to meet them? In this article we tell you. Pay attention.
What is Compulsive Hoarding Disorder (TAC)
It’s called Obsessive Compulsive Hoarding Disorder because what leads to this compulsion to store things is an obsession. It might seem that it is not a serious disorder, since what each one has at home is up to them, but it is not.
People with Hoarding OCD keep all kinds of things, from old newspapers to useless appliances to empty bottles or any object that catches their eye. The accumulation reaches such an extreme that the house, any house, becomes too small to store so many things and spaces that are not intended for it are used.
With this, the possibilities of coexistence are reduced, with the living room occupied as a store of useless junk, with the armchairs full of magazines or with the bathroom as a place not for cleaning but for storage. The family problems that Compulsive Hoarding Disorder can cause are obvious, but it is not the only reason why that person should seek treatment.
How Hoarding OCD is Different from Di
- When we talk about accumulating things, the Diogenes Syndrome immediately comes to mind. We have all heard stories or have seen them on television and, in fact, people with Diogenes Syndrome have their house full of things that they do not use and that in most cases are useless.
- So far the same thing happens in the Diogenes Syndrome as in the OCD of Accumulation. But there is a difference between both disorders and it is the obvious neglect of the person who suffers from it. People with Diogenes Syndrome often have a deteriorated appearance because they not only accumulate things, they also accumulate garbage and dirt.
- While people with Hoarding OCD can lead a functional life outside their home, at least for some time, people with Diogenes Syndrome quickly fall into problems of social isolation caused, first of all, by this neglect in terms of hygiene.
When does it become a problem?
- Anthropologists and psychologists agree that the act of accumulating is still something functional and adaptive. We store food in anticipation of not being able to leave the house for a while, for example, during the winter. And there’s nothing wrong with keeping something “just in case”. Needless to say, storing memories in the form of photo albums, for example, is not considered a disorder.
- So when does it become a problem? The first sign of disorder occurs when you occupy spaces in your home that are not intended for storage. It is not a mere disorder, but that these objects are altering the normal functioning of a house.
- You can also ask yourself an important question. Are you collecting something for a purpose or because you love those items or is it just a need to keep? And we go further, is it difficult for you to get rid of things that you do not use or that are already useful?
- In the case of the Diogenes Syndrome, moreover, it is not a personal issue behind closed doors. Neighbors are often the first to raise the alarm because dirt and rubbish soon begin to affect the entire community.
- If you know someone who may be suffering from any of these issues, don’t hesitate to encourage them to ask for help. She needs it!