The first-line treatment for hoarding disorder is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), specifically an adapted form that focuses on challenging distorted beliefs, improving decision-making, developing organization skills, and practicing discarding items, often with in-home support from therapists or organizers, sometimes combined with medications like SSRIs for co-occurring anxiety or depression.
The medicines most commonly used are a type of antidepressant called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Research continues on the most effective ways to use medicines in the treatment of hoarding disorder.
Some people develop hoarding disorder after experiencing a stressful life event that they had difficulty coping with, such as the death of a loved one, divorce or losing possessions in a fire.
The treatment for hoarding in children is usually a kind of therapy called exposure with response prevention, or ERP. A therapist helps the child practice, little by little, being away from their stuff, and kids learn to manage their anxiety.
Psychotherapy. Strategies to treat hoarding include challenging the hoarder's thoughts and beliefs about the need to keep items and about collecting new things; going out without buying or picking up new items; and getting rid of and recycling clutter.
Hoarding disorder may exist on its own or may be part of another condition. Mental health conditions most often associated with hoarding disorder include: Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD).
Now, a pilot study by Stanford Medicine researchers suggests that a virtual reality therapy that allows those with hoarding disorder to rehearse relinquishing possessions in a simulation of their own home could help them declutter in real life.
Similar to SIBs, hoarding behaviors have also been strongly associated with autism (Storch et al., 2016), while not being part of the autism diagnostic criteria.
The 3-3-3 rule for kids' anxiety is a simple mindfulness grounding technique where they name 3 things they see, identify 3 sounds they hear, and move 3 different body parts (like wiggling toes, turning a head, or rolling shoulders) to shift focus from worries to the present moment, helping to calm overwhelming feelings. It's a quick, portable tool to manage anxiety, but for persistent issues, professional help is recommended.
Don't say “If we don't clean up this apartment and get rid of all these things, I'm going to leave.” Don't say “We have too much stuff! We have got to get rid of some or else we'll never be able to move again!” Don't say “I can only stay here if we start throwing away all our junk.”
Some researchers believe hoarding can relate to childhood experiences of losing things, not owning things, or people not caring for you. This might include experiences like: Money worries or experiencing poverty. Having your belongings taken or thrown away by someone.
Hoarding disorder is a recognized psychological condition where people feel compelled to keep items regardless of their actual value or usefulness. The thought of discarding things causes significant distress, leading to rapid accumulation and cluttered living spaces.
Neurocognitive Functioning
Deficits in decision making may increase the distress felt by hoarding patients when forced to choose whether to keep or discard an object. Hoarding may also be linked to inattentiveness and a lack of inhibition [14].
Anti-anxiety medications help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as panic attacks or extreme fear and worry. The most common anti-anxiety medications are called benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are a group of medications that can help reduce anxiety and make it easier to sleep.
The 15-Minute Rule for OCD is a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) technique where you delay performing a compulsion for 15 minutes when an obsessive thought triggers anxiety, allowing the urge to lessen naturally as you practice exposure and response prevention (ERP). It teaches your brain that discomfort decreases without the ritual, building resilience and breaking the obsessive-compulsive cycle by gradually increasing tolerance for uncertainty and distressing feelings.
So far, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most well-studied intervention for hoarding.
Teas for stress and anxiety relief
The #1 worst habit for anxiety isn't singular, but avoidance (procrastination), poor sleep, and negative thought patterns (like catastrophizing) are top contenders, creating vicious cycles where anxiety fuels these behaviors, and the behaviors, in turn, worsen anxiety by preventing healthy coping and creating more stress. Other significant habits include excessive caffeine, poor diet, too much screen time, and social withdrawal, all disrupting the body's ability to manage stress effectively.
Five common warning signs of anxiety include excessive worry, trouble sleeping, feeling restless or on edge, fatigue/easily tired, and physical symptoms like a racing heart or muscle tension, though it can manifest differently for everyone. Recognizing these signs is key to seeking support for managing overwhelming stress and anxiety.
obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Around 90% of autism cases are attributed to genetic factors, meaning autism is highly heritable, with many different genes contributing, rather than a single cause, often interacting with environmental influences during early brain development, though specific environmental factors don't cause it but can increase risk. Twin studies show strong genetic links, with concordance rates between 60-90% in identical twins, and research points to complex interactions of many genes and prenatal/perinatal factors.
Chinning is a form of repetitive self-stimulatory behavior (stimming) that you may notice in children or adults with autism. It involves pressing, rubbing, or holding the chin against objects, surfaces, or even hands to gain sensory input or comfort.
If you're supporting someone who's hoarding, whether they agree or not, you should try to keep these important points in mind:
Yes, hoarding disorder is more common among people who have a family member who has hoarding disorder. The cause of hoarding disorder remains unknown. Genetics is likely only one part of why hoarding disorder affects a particular individual; environment and traumatic life events play a role as well.
In contrast to people with hoarding problems, collectors typically keep their possessions well-organized, and each item differs from other items to form interesting and often valuable groupings. Further, an important purpose of collecting is to display the items to others who appreciate them.