ADHD linked to hoarding behaviour

UK researchers have found that people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are significantly more likely to also exhibit hoarding behaviours, which can have a serious impact on their quality of life. Their study, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, found that almost one in five people with ADHD exhibited clinically significant levels of hoarding, indicating that there could be a hidden population of adults struggling with hoarding and its consequences.

Hoarding disorder is a recognised condition that involves excessive accumulation, difficulties discarding and excessive clutter. The disorder can lead to distress or difficulties in everyday life and can contribute to depression and anxiety.

“Hoarding disorder is much more than simply collecting too many possessions,” said Dr Sharon Morein of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). “People with diagnosed hoarding disorder have filled their living areas with so many items and clutter that it impacts their day-to-day functioning leading to a poorer quality of life, anxiety and depression.”

Previous research into hoarding disorder has mainly focused on older females who self-identify as hoarders and have sought help later in life. Dr Morein’s study recruited 88 participants from an adult ADHD clinic run by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, as well a closely matched group of 90 adults from the general population without an ADHD diagnosis.

The study found that 19% of the ADHD group displayed clinically significant hoarding symptoms, were on average in their 30s, and that there was an equal gender split. Among the remaining 81%, the researchers found greater hoarding severity, but not to a degree that significantly impaired their lives, compared to the control group. Only 2% of the control group exhibited clinically significant hoarding symptoms, and in a larger online sample of 220 UK adults only 3% exhibited symptoms.

“Overall, we found that people who had been diagnosed with ADHD had a higher likelihood of also having hoarding symptoms,” Dr Morein said. “This is important because it demonstrates that hoarding doesn’t just affect people later in life, who are typically the focus of much of the research so far into hoarding disorder.

“Our findings also indicate that hoarding disorder should be routinely assessed in individuals with ADHD, as they do not typically disclose associated difficulties despite these potentially impairing their everyday lives. Likewise, it is possible that many people who are currently being treated for hoarding disorder might also have undiagnosed ADHD.

“Greater awareness amongst clinicians and people with ADHD about the link between ADHD and hoarding could also lead to more effective long-term management, as hoarding often gradually worsens with time.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/trekandphoto

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