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Could you have hoarding disorder?
by Linda Melone
You’re buying things a second time because you lost the first ones you purchased. You can’t fit your car in the garage because it’s jam-packed with junk that you just can’t bear to throw away. If this sounds like you, you probably aren’t a hoarder—particularly if all you need is a long weekend and a little help to clear up your clutter. Hoarding is a serious mental illness that affects 2 to 5% of the population, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Not all people go to the extremes featured in hoarding reality shows, but if clutter is affecting your social life, job, family relationships, or personal safety, you could have a problem. Here’s what you need to know.