Hoarding Behavior on the Rise During the Covid Pandemic
Hoarding has become increasingly common during the Covid-19 pandemic, with experts attributing it to a combination of anxiety, grief, and the convenience of online shopping. Hoarding behavior goes beyond sentimental attachment to objects or stocking up on essentials, often indicating more severe anxiety or obsessive-compulsive issues.
Before the pandemic, approximately 2-3% of the global population were obsessive hoarders. However, since spring 2020, that number is believed to have risen to around 4%. Cleaning crews faced with the daunting task of clearing hoarded spaces often discover mountains of trash, as well as long-dead pets and human waste.
Individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, such as OCD, experienced worsened symptoms during the lockdowns, when access to treatment and support became limited. A striking example was captured by a cleaning crew in a luxurious New York City condo. The living room was piled high with empty food containers, bottles, newspapers, and garbage, making it impossible to navigate the space. The bathroom was filled with used toilet paper rolls, baby wipes, and refuse, rendering it inaccessible.
Psychiatrists have classified hoarding disorder as a distinct diagnosis, although it has historically been considered a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which affects approximately 2.5 million adults, or 1.2% of the US population. The pandemic forced people into mandatory quarantine, leaving them feeling a lack of control over their lives. This heightened stress and resulted in increased hoarding behaviors.
Hoarding disorder typically emerges in adolescence and tends to worsen over time, making severe hoarding more prevalent among older adults. While hoarding disorder is recognized as a separate diagnosis, its connection to OCD is well-established. The pandemic significantly exacerbated rates of OCD, with studies in Spain and Denmark reporting that 40% and over 61% of people with OCD experienced more severe symptoms, respectively.
Mainstream media often highlights horrifying stories of hoarded homes filled with trash, rotting food, feces, and deceased animals, rendering them uninhabitable. Hoarding poses a significant fire hazard, and many individuals perish in their homes due to blocked exits. Falls are also common among hoarders, as they trip over objects or become injured when materials fall on them. Senior citizens are particularly at risk of falling, magnifying the dangers associated with hoarding.
Furthermore, hoarders often collect animals under the mistaken belief that they are providing shelter. In reality, these environments are unsuitable for animals, depriving them of proper care and subjecting them to squalid living conditions. Another disturbing discovery made by a cleaning crew was the decomposing body of a husky found in its crate in a prestigious New York apartment building.
Dealing with hoarding behavior goes beyond simply discarding heaps of trash. It necessitates addressing the underlying drivers, such as a history of living with a hoarder, anxiety and compulsion issues, or procrastination and avoidance behaviors.
Have you found yourself hanging on to things more than usual during the pandemic?
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