10 Early Signs of a Hoarding Disorder

While a lot of people may hold on to a few items they don’t need, about 2.5 percent of Americans have a hoarding disorder. This means that they stock their homes with so many things that they can become uninhabitable and the conditions may affect their health. According to a recent study, people with a hoarding disorder may have higher rates of unemployment, have trouble maintaining relationships, and are more likely to depend on a partner for financial support.  Early Signs of a Hoarding Disorder 1. Some Places are Off-Limits Hoarding can start small and those who are dealing with it may try to hide it in the beginning. That can mean that they start collecting items in places that get little traffic so they can keep others from seeing the clutter.  2. No one Can Touch Their Possessions Even before the hoarding becomes obvious, people with the disorder may be unusually possessive of their things. They may become irrationally angry if anyone touches them.  3. They Always Want to Meet Elsewhere Once the clutter becomes harder to hide, they may do their best to keep people from entering their home. If the clutter has started to affect the outside...