Many people might claim that, at least at one point in their lives, they could be classified as a 「pack rat」 or a 「closet clutterer」. However, compulsive hoarding is an anxiety disorder that involves much more than keeping extra papers and magazines around, or collecting CDs under your desk.
相信在人生的某個階段，很多人都有愛收藏東西把家裡弄成一團亂的經歷。我們這篇文章中提到的囤積強迫症其實是一種焦慮性障礙，可遠不止把多餘的報紙雜誌囤在家裡、收集CD堆在桌子底下這麼簡單。
Severe compulsive hoarding can interfere with a person’s activities–such as cooking, cleaning, showering, and sleeping–because piles of newspapers or clothes are found in the sink, in the shower, on the bed, and in every corner of a home。
嚴重的囤積強迫症會干擾到人們做飯、清潔和洗澡等正常生活行為，因為你會發現家裡的水槽、洗澡間、床上甚至各個角落都堆滿了報紙和衣物。
The American Psychiatric Association is recognizing hoarding as a true mental disorder in its diagnostic manual being published in May, 2012. Here, then, are eight things you should know about hoarding。
美國精神病學會在2012年5月發布的診斷手冊中將囤積強迫症正式確認為精神障礙。
下面是關於囤積強迫症你需要了解的8件事：
1. Compulsive hoarding affects approximately 700,000 to 1.4 million people in the US。
光在美國，囤積強迫症就影響了大約70萬-140萬的人群。
2. Compulsive hoarding is often considered a form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) because between 18 and 42 percent of people with OCD experience some compulsion to hoard. However, compulsive hoarding can affect people who don’t have OCD。
強迫性囤積症通常被認為是強迫性精神障礙的一種，因為18%-42%有強迫性精神障礙的人都有囤積的強迫性徵兆。不過強迫性囤積症同樣也會影響沒有強迫性精神障礙的人。
3. The compulsion to hoard often starts during childhood or the teen years, but doesn’t usually become severe until adulthood。
囤積強迫症一般會從童年或青少年時期開始，但一般都要到成年以後才會變得比較嚴重。
4. Hoarding can be more about fear of throwing something away than about collection or saving. Thinking about discarding an item triggers anxiety in the hoarder, so she hangs on to the item to prevent angst。
囤積強迫症的核心症狀其實不是收集和節省，而是害怕把東西丟掉。對於愛囤積東西的人們來說，對丟棄物品的顧慮會觸發焦慮心理，所以她為了防止焦慮，她可能會一直保留該物品不丟棄。
5. Many hoarders are perfectionists. They fear making the wrong decision about what to keep and what to throw out, so they keep everything。
很多愛囤積東西的人都是完美主義者。在到底什麼該保留什麼該丟掉的問題上，他們害怕做錯誤的決定，所以他們會把什麼保留下來。
6. Compulsive hoarders rarely recognize their problem. Generally, only after the hoarding becomes a problem with other family members is the problem discussed。
患有囤積強迫症的人們基本不會意識到自己有這方面的毛病。通常只有當家裡囤積的東西太多，影響到其他家庭成員的正常生活時，人們才會正視和討論這個問題。
7. Compulsive hoarding can be difficult to control. It is usually treated in the same way OCD is. However, compulsive hoarding doesn’t usually respond as well as other kinds of OCD。
囤積強迫症很難控制，一般的治療方案與強迫性精神障礙的相同，但治療效果不如其他強迫性精神障礙的好。
8. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may be more effective for compulsive hoarding than medications, especially when it involves a therapist going into the home of the hoarder and helps her to develop habits and a consistent behavioral program to try to de-clutter her home, car, and life。
對於強迫性囤積症來說，認知行為療法比藥物治療要更有效。通常需要治療師去到患者也就是愛囤積物品的人家中，幫助她培養習慣，進行一個長期堅持的行為項目，來整理家裡車裡的物品，讓生活更有條理化。