Causes of Hoarding

By: Randy Frost, PhD / Gail Steketee, Phd

Welcome to the IOCDF Hoarding Center

Hoarding has been a hidden disorder for many years. Before the early 1990’s, there was little research on hoarding. Since then, however, interest has increased dramatically among research scientists and clinicians. Recent media coverage of hoarding has also increase awareness and interest among sufferers, family members, and human service personnel who often deal with the problem. The IOCDF Hoarding Center is designed to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information about hoarding and its treatment. The Center has four goals:

• Educate the general public about hoarding.
• Facilitate education and training of human service personnel including mental health, social services, public health and housing as well as police and fire officials.
• Support research into the causes of and effective treatments for hoarding.
• Improve access to resources for those with hoarding disorder and their families, as well as clinicians and service personnel.
• Advocate and lobby for public policy change as it affects people who hoard, their families and community members...." More