A Case of Clutter and Chaos

Abstract

Hoarding disorder is a chronic disorder defined as the persistent difficulty in parting with possessions and the need to save items, regardless of their actual value. Severe hoarding has largely been a hidden clinical problem, and awareness has mostly been limited to voyeuristic depictions of the plight of hoarders in popular media. Approximately 28% to 32% of individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), especially the inattentive subtype, have been reported to have clinically significant hoarding. It has been hypothesized that patients with ADHD initially acquire objects impulsively and later develop emotional attachments or intrinsic meaning, resulting in a perpetuating cycle of reliance on hoarding as a coping mechanism. Treatment focused on impaired attention has shown improved prognosis, which further signifies the relationship between inattentive ADHD and hoarding. We discuss the case of a patient with ADHD (inattentive type), major depressive disorder, and hoarding traits.