Neurological and Psychological Basis for Hoarding Disorders

Hoarding Disorder

When police raided Stephen Blumberg’s Ottumwa home in the spring of 1990, they found over “19 tons of material” in his possession (Knuttson, 2014). In all, Blumberg stole over 30,000 items from all across the country (Knuttson, 2014). To a non-bibliophile, this collection would seem obstructive and maybe even irrational. Blumberg was never officially diagnosed with Hoarding Disorder, yet many of his behaviors and cognitions are reminiscent of symptoms that tend to characterize the disorder. To get a closer look into Blumberg’s mind with the intent of understanding what drove him to risk his freedom and even his life to acquire and hold onto so many books, looking at the specifics of a disorder that shares important similarities to Blumberg’s life. 

Hoarding disorder is an official diagnosis in the DSM-V describing those who accumulate items uncontrollably and are unable to give items away once they are acquired. The disorder used to be commonly associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) because a large majority of those with OCD also present hoarding behaviors, but presently Hoarding Disorder is more closely tied with Impulse Control Disorder. Impulse Control Disorder is “the failure to resist an impulse, drive, or temptation to perform an act that is harmful to the person or to others (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Those living with Hoarding Disorder usually find themselves with cluttered living spaces that are filled to the point that the room is no longer accessible or usable. About 2.6% of the population of the United States is reported officially diagnosed with the disorder according to the American Psychiatric Association (2013).

A clear distinction has been made between hoarding and collecting, taking care to note that hoarding is more uncontrollable than collecting. Furthermore, hoarders are generally unable to admit that they have a problem, which is what enables the disorder to alter their daily lives. Hoarders are also generally less concerned with specific items than collectors, leading them to want to keep anything and everything they have accumulated (Knuttson, 2014).

Hoarding Disorder is a fairly recent addition to the DSM, yet clinical studies have validated some treatment options. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a trusted and commonly used approach for treating various mental disorders listed in the DSM. With the assistance of trained therapists and psychiatrists, CBT works to alter behaviors in individuals that prevent them from living life to its fullest potential. For Hoarding Disorder, CBT aims to ease the process of getting rid of items in one’s collection (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), and as such it is crucial to further research into causes and treatment options.

 Stephen Blumberg And Hoarding Disorder

Although never officially diagnosed with Hoarding disorder, Stephen Blumberg’s behaviors were in many ways similar to symptoms of the disorder as listed in the DSM-V. For example, those who knew Blumberg reported associating him with poor hygiene and cluttered living spaces, which are symptoms common to those with the disorder.

However, some of Blumberg’s behaviors do not match the diagnosis.  Blumberg’s fixation on specific types of rare books, namely Americana, distinguishes his lifestyle from that of someone living with hoarding disorder (Agdari-Moghadam, 2021).  As mentioned before, usually those with Hoarding Disorder are not intent on collecting a specific type of item. Instead, Blumberg would be more accurately classified as a collector, since it is collectors who target particular items or groups of items for their collections. Furthermore, the careful planning that went into his book thefts separated Blumberg from those with hoarding disorder. As the American Psychiatric Association (2013) describes it:  “acquisition of objects in people who hoard is largely impulsive, with little active planning, and triggered by the sight of an object that could be owned.” Even without a diagnosis of the disorder, Hoarding Disorder can potentially provide a lens through which to examine Stephen Blumberg’s life and behaviors.