Dear Annie: It is important for the family to understand and recognize hoarding disorders

Dear Annie: I am a retired psychotherapist and read your column every day.

I’m writing in response to “Torn and Tired,” the person whose mother wants to downsize but struggles to part with the clutter in her cluttered home. I think you missed an important issue in your response, which is that I suspect the mother may have hoarding disorder. The daughter alludes to this in her letter, and if true, it changes things beyond messiness. It is important for this family to understand what hoarding disorder entails.
There are professionals who can help people with hoarding disorder if the person is willing to receive and accept help. Understanding the illness can also be of great help to family members. — Compassionate Clinician

Dear Compassion: Thank you — and several other readers! — to emphasize this very important distinction. Hoarding is recognized as a legitimate mental health diagnosis in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) and should absolutely be treated as such. This mother would greatly benefit from professional help as you mention, in addition to the support of her loving and patient family.

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