Causes & Mental Health
Compassionate articles exploring the causes of hoarding, its links with mental health, depression, ADHD and genetics. 13 articles in this category.
What Causes Hoarding?
The current understanding of what causes hoarding disorder — genetics, brain function, life events, trauma and co-occurring mental health conditions.
Updated 2026-07-20Why Do People Become Hoarders?
The reasons people develop hoarding disorder — biological, psychological and life-event factors that combine over time.
Updated 2026-07-20Why Do Hoarders Hoard?
The psychological reasons behind hoarding behaviour — from beliefs about objects to emotional regulation and control.
Updated 2026-07-20Is Hoarding a Mental Illness?
How hoarding is classified in the UK and internationally — DSM-5, ICD-11, NHS recognition and what that means for treatment.
Updated 2026-07-20Are Hoarders Mentally Ill?
Whether hoarders are considered mentally ill under UK law and healthcare — the diagnosis, capacity considerations and what it means for care.
Updated 2026-07-20Are Hoarders Depressed?
The strong overlap between hoarding disorder and depression — how often the two co-occur, why, and how treatment addresses both.
Updated 2026-07-20Do Hoarders Have ADHD?
The link between ADHD and hoarding disorder — how often the two co-occur, why, and what it means for treatment.
Updated 2026-07-20Is Hoarding Genetic?
What research shows about the heritability of hoarding disorder — twin studies, family patterns and what it means for prevention.
Updated 2026-07-20What Mental Illness Do Hoarders Have?
The mental health conditions most commonly seen in people who hoard — hoarding disorder itself and the conditions that co-occur.
Updated 2026-07-20Why Are Hoarders So Defensive?
Why hoarders so often react defensively to offers of help — the psychology behind the defensiveness and how to reduce it.
Updated 2026-07-20Why Can't Hoarders Throw Anything Away?
The psychological and neurological reasons hoarders find it so hard to discard possessions — and why willpower alone is not enough.
Updated 2026-07-20What Causes a Person to Become a Hoarder?
The genetic, psychological, neurological and life-event factors that combine to make someone develop hoarding disorder.
Updated 2026-07-20What Makes Someone a Hoarder?
The specific combination of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that turns an ordinary person into someone with hoarding disorder.
Updated 2026-07-20
About the author
Mariusz Baran
Mariusz Baran is the owner of Hoarders Cleaners, We Clear Everything London Ltd and House and Office Clearance Ltd, providing clearance and cleaning services across Greater London. He specialises in hoarding clean-ups, house and probate clearances, waste removal and secure disposal, working discreetly with families, landlords and councils.