Of all the desperations that propel human behavior, few are as addictive as the constant need to surround ourselves with things to possess and to own. Look around yourself books you have not opened in years; entangled power cords/chargers you do not know the use for; cassettes and discs you don't play any longer; the multiple condiments for recipes you have forgotten; mementos that bring back no memories; closets stuffed with clothes, but the common lament that you have nothing to wear; containers with no lids; gadgets you do not know how to use; clothes that no longer fit; footwear you intend to use when you start power walking... the list is endless. And yet, almost every single day you aspire some more, you acquire some more. Mysteriously, the end goal of happiness and the contentment you seek from stuff-shifts just a bit more.
This turnstile without an exit was listed as a 'hoarding disorder' (HD) by the World Health Organization in 2019. It had, of course, existed much before, but was clubbed under obsessive-compulsive disorders. An obsessive disorder is one where an individual is caught in the loop of an unwanted thought. It becomes compulsive when you act on that thought. Common examples are the repeated washing of hands to get rid of unwanted germs and the multiple checking of whether a key was turned properly to secure a lock.
The WHO defines hoarding as 'a mental health condition that is characterised by the accumulation of possessions, which can significantly impair a person's life'. Technically, it is placed in the International Classification of Diseases-11. It is a category that also includes malingering-the pretence of being sick to avoid work. But that is a story for another day.
Hoarding disorder, elaborates the WHO, is characterised by accumulation of possessions that results in living spaces becoming cluttered to the point that their use or safety is compromised.
This story is from the October 06, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 06, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Pressure Points
Author and MP Shashi Tharoor and motivational speaker Gaur Gopal Das on how to find healing and meaning in today's world
War Over Wounded Earth
For the BJP andthe Congress, the ravaged farmlands of Vidarbha represent a cxitieal battleground in their larger struggle to win Maharashtra
Say no to continual elections
Following the recommendations of a high-level committee led by former president Ram Nath Kovind to streamline the widely scattered schedule of national, state and local elections, the Union cabinet has reportedly approved two constitutional amendment bills for likely introduction in Parliament. Predictably, the return of the ‘one nation, one election’ issue to news has set off a flurry of objections by several opposition leaders.
Fabulously, fashionably funny
The third season of the Karan Johar-produced Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives dropped on Netflix, but articles criticising the show appear in some news site or the other almost daily. If it is so bad, why keep writing about it? And if it is so bad, why would the superpowers at Netflix, who are harder to meet than the prime minister, commission the show season after season?
All in the family
The Chitaras have been passing down the secret art of Mata Ni Pachedi through generations for more than 400 years now
Raise a toast to Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan is a New Year baby. At 45, she is aglow in the most beautiful way, having won the hearts and admiration of countless fans across the world, who watched the supremely talented actor take a public tumble on stage at a high-profile promotional event recently, sharing the platform with no less a dancer than the eternally graceful Madhuri Dixit.
Death no bar
Being alive is not a legal requirement to be elected president of the United States
The Lotus POTUS
You should visit us one of these days— there is so much excitement in our USA! No, I don’t mean the famous USA—the Ulhasnagar Sindhi Association of Mumbai.
RAY OF HOPE
Actor and cancer survivor Lisa Ray talks to oncologist Dr Jame Abraham about inner strength and her surrogacy journey
LEVERAGE AI TO ENHANCE WORK
AT THE WEEK Health Summit, Siddharth Bagga, head (retail, CPG and health care), Google Cloud, elaborated on the significant work that Google has been doing in health care through artificial intelligence (AI).