ADHD linked to hoarding behavior: As many as 1 in 5 adults with ADHD could have significant hoarding symptoms

People with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are more likely to exhibit other behaviors that can have a serious impact on their quality of life.

A study funded by the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust found that almost one in five people with attention deficit disorder had clinically significant levels of hoarding.

There is a recognised condition of hoding disorder. Depression and anxiety can be caused by the disorder and can lead to distress.

Older females who self-identify as hoarders have been the focus of previous research. A new study led by Dr Sharon Morein of Aru recruited 88 people from an adult ADHD clinic.

There was an equal gender split in the study, which found that 18% of the group displayed clinically significant hoarding symptoms. The researchers found greater severity of hoarding, but not a degree that impaired their lives, compared to the control group.

The researchers asked the same questions, about the symptoms of ADHD, impulsivity, levels of clutter, obsessive compulsive severity, perfectionism, depression and anxiety, and everyday function, on a group of 90 adults from the general population.

They replicated this with a larger online sample of 220 UK adults to see if similar patterns were found, and only 3% of this group exhibited symptoms.

Dr Morein is an Associate Professor in psychology at the ARU. People with a diagnosis of Hoarding Disorder have filled their living areas with so many items that it impacts their day-to-day functioning leading to a poorer quality of life, anxiety, and depression.

Overall, we found that people who had been diagnosed with ADHD had a higher likelihood of having other symptoms. This is important because it shows that there is more than one way in which a person can be affected by hoarding.

Our findings show that people with attention deficit disorder should be assessed for obsessive-compulsive disorder, as they do not typically reveal associated difficulties despite these potentially impairing their everyday lives. It is possible that many people who are currently being treated for a mental illness also have a mental illness.

More effective long-term management can be achieved if clinicians and people with ADHD are aware of the link between the two.

The story was told

The materials were provided by the university. Content can be edited for style and length.