Hoarding disorders have increased during the pandemic. Here’s how to help a loved one who hoards. [washingtonpost.com]

By Angela Haupt, Illustration: Sonia Pulido/The Washington Post, The Washington Post, March 8, 2022

Hoarding is not a new issue, nor is our fascination with it. Reality television shows have been chronicling extreme cases of hoarding for years: “Clean House” debuted in 2003, for example, and “Hoarders” in 2009. But, according to a study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research in November 2021, hoarding disorder symptoms have “significantly worsened” during the pandemic, perhaps because of heightened stress or extra time at home — in some cases, alone.

Now that the pandemic is easing, friends and family members may become more aware of loved ones whose hoarding tendencies intensified over the past two years. Unfortunately, however, another thing that is not new about hoarding is the difficulty treating it or helping a loved one who has that tendency.

“In general, over the years, I’ve found that most people who want to help really don’t have the tools to do so,” said clinical psychologist Gregory S. Chasson. “A lot of family members tend to see hoarding from a moral standpoint, but individuals are really struggling.”

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