Hoarding to be classified as mental disorder: WHO

 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has termed hoarding as a mental illness for the first time.

According to psychiatrists, the “extremely, significant” decision will help doctors and the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK) to identify people struggling with hoarding and improve treatment which affects up to 5 per cent of the population.

Hoarding is one of three new conditions which will be added to the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases-II list of illnesses alongside gaming disorder and olfactory reference disorder.

According to the WHO's updated classification of diseases, hoarding is "characterised by accumulation of possessions due to an excessive acquisition of or difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value."

It adds: "Accumulation of possessions results in living spaces becoming cluttered to the point that their use or safety is compromised.

"The symptoms result in significant distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning," the definition states.

While speaking to Sky News Naomi Fineberg, a member of the WHO working group said treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy or medication tends not to be effective when it comes to treating hoarding and often leaving families to “suffer for years.”

On the other hand, Megan Karnes founder and director of the charity Hoarding UK said it was “wonderful news” for the people who exhibited symptoms of hoarding.