When You Don't Know When To Stop And Collecting Becomes An Addiction

By: Paul Schankman

Thanks, in part to the popularity of shows about hoarding on cable TV, the problem is getting much attention these days. The problem is considered a mental illness, and typically manifests itself by an individual collecting excessive amounts of often useless material, sometimes even trash, often to the point of making rooms in their home inaccessible.

Although it was at one time considered related to, and treated in the same way as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, today hoarding can be addressed through Cognitive Behavior therapy. As an example, at the St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, hoarders are taken to malls for "non-shopping" sprees, in which they gradually learn the ability to walk past stores without feeling the compulsion to buy something..." More & video