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Hoarding Research Paper

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Years ago, hoarding was thought to be relatively rare, however in the recent years more and more research has been done on understanding, evaluating and treating this disorder. Similar to most human behaviors, saving and accumulating possessions can range from being completely normal to extreme or compulsive. In the previous, DSM-IV edition, hoarding is listed as one of the diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Yet, new research has shown that in most circumstances hoarding appears to be independent from other neurological and psychiatric disorders, including OCD. Therefore, as soon as the newest DSM-5 edition was in process of being printed, “hoarding disorder” was added, in hopes that by adding this diagnosis it would increase public awareness, improve identification of cases and motivate both research and the development of specific treatments for this problem. Hoarding is essentially, difficulty discarding or parting with belongings, regardless of their actual value. This struggle is due to the apparent need to save the items and the anguish related with discarding these possessions. Additionally, the accumulation of these possessions that congest and clutter active living areas will ultimately compromise their intended use. …show more content…

As an adult, she gravitated to ceramics, china, paperweights, kitchenware and art. Year by Year, the treasures accumulated until she could only navigate through her apartment through a narrow line of which she called “goat paths”. Eventually her two grown daughters swooped in and cleaned out her place. With all her treasures, gone, Stark was traumatized when she reentered her house. Almost immediately, she began reacquiring things – with a

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