Even though one-third of the Indian population collects one thing or another, around 197 million people. A lot less, between 6 and 15 million, are hoarders. Still, most attention is gathered by this party. The root cause of their affliction is thought to be complex. In more than 50 percent of hoarders, the major depressive disorder was found. In approximately 25 percent, generalized anxiety and social phobia have been reported. Less than 20% had a compulsive-obsessive disorder.

More Complex than It Seems

Even there is definitely more here than the eye meets. At the University of Iowa, researchers examined 86 brain lesion patients. Thirteen showed new irregular collecting activity associated with the troublesome accumulation of useless objects, which was extreme.

They only displayed this activity after the onset, not before, of their lesions. The source of this knowledge was a close relative, usually a partner. The person had to accumulate items of little value to abundance in order to qualify as a hoarder in such a way that their collection interfered with daily functioning.

A Fresh and Deeper Understanding Pledge

Today, when neurology and psychology are starting to converge, few can suggest that collecting is pathological. But perhaps as hoarding is discussed in years to come, detecting an organic basis for at least some instances will lead us not only to a deeper understanding of hoarding but also to the motivation that motivates collectors.