Symptom Tests

[Self-Test] Could You Have Hoarding Disorder?

Hoarding disorder is a serious but treatable condition linked to ADHD, anxiety, and OCD. Take this self-test to see if you may be showing hoarding symptoms.

By ADDitude Editors Verified Updated on May 31, 2024
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Hoarding disorder is characterized by persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value, due to a perceived need to save them and distress associated with discarding them. This leads to the accumulation of items, resulting in clutter that disrupts the ability to use living spaces effectively. Hoarding disorder can cause significant distress and impairment in daily functioning, including social, occupational, and other important areas.

According to the DSM-5-TR, up to 90% of individuals with hoarding disorder display excessive acquisition, whether through over-buying, acquisition of free items, or stealing.

Not everyone with hoarding disorder recognizes that their behaviors are indicative of a mental health condition. When diagnosing hoarding disorder, clinicians specify if the patient demonstrates good, fair, poor, or delusional beliefs about their hoarding behaviors. In addition to DSM-5-TR criteria, clinicians often use scales and other tools to assess a patient’s hoarding severity. The Clutter Image Rating Scale, for example, asks patients to select photos that best match the amount of clutter in their home.

Hoarding disorder commonly co-occurs with conditions like depression, anxiety, OCD, and ADHD. Other common features of hoarding disorder include indecisiveness, perfectionism, avoidance, procrastination, difficulty planning and organizing tasks, and distractibility.

Answer the questions below to see if you may be showing signs of hoarding disorder, and share your results with your doctor.

The questions in this self-test are informed, in part, by criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR). This self-test is designed to screen for the possibility of hoarding disorder, and it is intended for personal use only. This self-test is not intended as a diagnostic tool.

I have difficulty throwing away, selling, giving away, loaning, and/or recycling possessions, regardless of their actual value.

My kitchen, bedroom, and/or living spaces are cluttered to the point that they’re practically inaccessible or difficult to use for their intended purposes.

Friends, family, and others who visit my home say the items I’ve kept are worthless, but I often disagree.

I don’t see a problem with the possessions I’ve accumulated and the state of my home, though friends, family, and others often comment on its unsanitary and/or unsafe condition.

I feel anxious, frustrated, angry, and/or guilty when considering getting rid of my possessions.

My clutter and/or difficulty discarding items has affected my work, relationships, and other important areas of my life.

It’s tough for me to say no to free or heavily discounted items.

If my living areas are clear, it’s only because of family members, cleaners, or others who have helped or forced me to clear the spaces.

I feel a strong urge to save items, whether for their utility, aesthetic or sentimental value, or to avoid being wasteful.


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Hoarding Disorder: Next Steps