What is hoarding disorder and how do you recognize it? Psychologist on signs, symptoms and how to help
It's a mental illness that often presents feelings of shame, isolation and embarrassment.
Hoarding disorder, which includes a persistent difficulty letting go of their belongings, impacts millions of Canadians, especially those over the age of 54.
It's estimated that about two million people in Canada have the disorder, but psychologist and expert Murray Anderson said he thinks that estimate is actually on the low end.
"If we're talking about locally, like in Victoria or Vancouver, we normally talk about six per cent of the population in those cities," he said in an interview on CTV Morning Live Thursday.
"I think it's closer to 11, which makes it much higher of a mental health issue than a lot of existing mental health concerns – schizophrenia and such."
Hoarding disorder wasn't a standalone diagnoses until as recently as 2013, he said. In terms of what it looks like, Anderson said it's important that people who "just collect a lot of things" and find comfort in that are not confused with those to whom the diagnosis applies.
"My wife always jokes 'If you want to see a hoard, show them your record collection. Take them down to the basement,'" he said.
"Really what happens when it is a mental health issue is it's not a laughing matter. You can tell that that person has extreme anxiety about removing any of those items, even if they can't utilize that room, such as a kitchen or a bedroom, for its primary purpose."
Anderson said too that for those with the disorder, when areas of the home are cleared out, they're soon "re-cluttered" in a shorter amount of time than it took to fill them in the first place.
"The third thing is the insight these people have into the issue. Often these people are upstanding individuals, they have good relationships – not all of them but outside of the home they're able to connect with people – and hold down a solid job," Anderson said.
Those with the disorder are able to function at all levels of employment, he said, listing doctors and lawyers as examples.
"But they have very little insight when it comes to this being an issue in their homes, so there's a very significant split between the insight outside the home and inside."
Anderson was asked how family members or loved ones can offer support to someone they believe has the disorder, or who has been diagnosed.
He said the first step is to approach with respect and choose language carefully. He said it's already a very stigmatized mental illness, so language choices are key in such a delicate conversation.
It's also important to approach the topic from a place of legitimately wanting to help.
Anderson recommends downloading the Frost Clutter Scale, created by professor Randy O. Frost, to get an idea of the situation. Here's a link to a PDF of the scale, posted by the City of Vancouver on a page about its Hoarding Action Response Team.
"It's a very simple progression from zero to nine, zero being your place is pristine, to 'it looks like you had a pizza party and didn't clean up,' all the way to nine, which shows a significant hoard and basically being unable to use that space for what's intended," Anderson explained.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Body of Quebec man who died in Cuba found in Russia, family confirms
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.