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What is hoarding?
- Hoarding disorder, as recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), is characterized by four primary criteria.
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What is hoarding?
- They include: 1. persistent difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value; 2. a perceived need to save items; 3. the accumulation of possessions that clutter living areas; 4. significant distress or impairment in important areas of functioning, such as work, social activities, or relationships, caused by the hoarding behavior or clutter.
© Getty Images
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Becoming digital
- As our lives have become increasingly digital, our tendency to hoard has also extended to the digital realm. Experts note this behavior in how we handle our devices and digital files.
© Getty Images
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Digital clutter
- Thousands of screenshots, unopened messages, and a persistent full storage warning: this has become the new normal for many.
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Clutter overload
- If you frequently struggle to find specific files or notice decreased concentration, you may be overwhelmed by digital clutter, according to Dr. Susan Albers, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
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Anxiety inducing
- An overwhelming number of emails, pictures, and open tabs can trigger cognitive overload, leading to stress and anxiety. "Digital clutter is just as stressful as physical clutter," Dr. Albers explained.
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When does it turn into a disorder?
- While everyone might experience digital clutter to some extent, it can escalate into a more serious issue that experts are classifying as digital hoarding.
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Regular saving vs. hoarding
- You might want to save photos and videos from a trip or concert, or keep documents from college or old jobs. But when does this behavior cross the line into hoarding?
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Compulsive behavior
- Dr. Emanuel Maidenberg, a psychiatry professor at UCLA, explains that digital hoarding is marked by a compulsive need to save digital information, rather than a casual preference for storage.
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Driven by fear
- Maidenberg explains that this behavior is driven by a fear of losing access to important information. "It becomes a habit motivated by anxiety," he adds.
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In denial
- If your devices are full and you're struggling to delete old files, despite needing the space, you may be experiencing digital hoarding.
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Day to day impact
- If you find yourself wasting time searching for files or if your digital clutter is interfering with your work, social life, or other important activities, it may be a sign of digital hoarding.
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Key factor
- While the threshold for digital hoarding varies from person to person, a key factor is whether it significantly disrupts daily life, explains Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, a psychiatrist and director at the International OCD Foundation.
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Not just personal files
- While often associated with personal devices, digital hoarding is also common in the workplace. Studies in the UK have identified four types of corporate digital hoarders: organized, disorganized, company-focused, and emotionally driven (those who develop emotional ties and worry about losing their corporate history).
© Getty Images
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Digital hoarding prevention
- Experts recommend a few practical steps to prevent digital clutter from escalating into a hoarding disorder.
© Shutterstock
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Bit by bit
- Dr. Albers suggests starting each day with a brief digital audit, deleting unnecessary emails and closing unused tabs. By spending a few minutes decluttering before work, "you'll set yourself up for a more productive day."
© Shutterstock
16 / 27 Fotos
Organize your digital space
- Create a clear folder structure to save important files and use tags to categorize them.
© Shutterstock
17 / 27 Fotos
Cut notifications
- Disable unnecessary notifications and unsubscribe from unwanted emails. This will help you stay focused and avoid distractions, reducing digital clutter in the process.
© Shutterstock
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Set boundaries
- Minimize your time spent checking emails and social media notifications. Use your device's silent and "do not disturb" features to reduce distractions.
© Getty Images
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Set boundaries
- Experts also recommend reducing the number of social media accounts you follow, which can help decrease feed clutter and minimize mindless scrolling.
© Shutterstock
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Detox
- Take a digital detox day, or at least some time offline. This can help you feel less overwhelmed by constant notifications and digital clutter.
© Shutterstock
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When to seek help - If you're struggling with school or work, having trouble sleeping, or feeling disconnected from others, these may be signs of significant distress. It might be helpful to consult a mental health professional, Albers suggests.
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Challenges
- The Anxiety and Depression Association of America notes that treating hoarding disorder can be challenging due to factors like low motivation, poor self-awareness, significant clutter, and long-standing hoarding behaviors.
© Shutterstock
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Other conditions
- The high rate of co-occurring mental health conditions, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and executive dysfunction, can further complicate treatment.
© Shutterstock
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Treatment - While there's no one-size-fits-all treatment for hoarding disorder, several therapies have proven effective. Motivational interviewing can help individuals overcome the initial hurdles of decluttering, often a daunting task.
© Shutterstock
25 / 27 Fotos
Treatment
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a cornerstone treatment for hoarding disorder. It focuses on understanding the underlying causes of hoarding behaviors, reducing acquisition, improving decision-making skills, and challenging unhelpful beliefs about possessions. Sources: (CNN) (Anxiety & Depression Association of America) (National Library of Medicine)
See also: What happens when you quit social media?
© Shutterstock
26 / 27 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 27 Fotos
What is hoarding?
- Hoarding disorder, as recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), is characterized by four primary criteria.
© Getty Images
1 / 27 Fotos
What is hoarding?
- They include: 1. persistent difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value; 2. a perceived need to save items; 3. the accumulation of possessions that clutter living areas; 4. significant distress or impairment in important areas of functioning, such as work, social activities, or relationships, caused by the hoarding behavior or clutter.
© Getty Images
2 / 27 Fotos
Becoming digital
- As our lives have become increasingly digital, our tendency to hoard has also extended to the digital realm. Experts note this behavior in how we handle our devices and digital files.
© Getty Images
3 / 27 Fotos
Digital clutter
- Thousands of screenshots, unopened messages, and a persistent full storage warning: this has become the new normal for many.
© Shutterstock
4 / 27 Fotos
Clutter overload
- If you frequently struggle to find specific files or notice decreased concentration, you may be overwhelmed by digital clutter, according to Dr. Susan Albers, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
© Shutterstock
5 / 27 Fotos
Anxiety inducing
- An overwhelming number of emails, pictures, and open tabs can trigger cognitive overload, leading to stress and anxiety. "Digital clutter is just as stressful as physical clutter," Dr. Albers explained.
© Shutterstock
6 / 27 Fotos
When does it turn into a disorder?
- While everyone might experience digital clutter to some extent, it can escalate into a more serious issue that experts are classifying as digital hoarding.
© Shutterstock
7 / 27 Fotos
Regular saving vs. hoarding
- You might want to save photos and videos from a trip or concert, or keep documents from college or old jobs. But when does this behavior cross the line into hoarding?
© Getty Images
8 / 27 Fotos
Compulsive behavior
- Dr. Emanuel Maidenberg, a psychiatry professor at UCLA, explains that digital hoarding is marked by a compulsive need to save digital information, rather than a casual preference for storage.
© Shutterstock
9 / 27 Fotos
Driven by fear
- Maidenberg explains that this behavior is driven by a fear of losing access to important information. "It becomes a habit motivated by anxiety," he adds.
© Shutterstock
10 / 27 Fotos
In denial
- If your devices are full and you're struggling to delete old files, despite needing the space, you may be experiencing digital hoarding.
© Shutterstock
11 / 27 Fotos
Day to day impact
- If you find yourself wasting time searching for files or if your digital clutter is interfering with your work, social life, or other important activities, it may be a sign of digital hoarding.
© Shutterstock
12 / 27 Fotos
Key factor
- While the threshold for digital hoarding varies from person to person, a key factor is whether it significantly disrupts daily life, explains Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, a psychiatrist and director at the International OCD Foundation.
© Shutterstock
13 / 27 Fotos
Not just personal files
- While often associated with personal devices, digital hoarding is also common in the workplace. Studies in the UK have identified four types of corporate digital hoarders: organized, disorganized, company-focused, and emotionally driven (those who develop emotional ties and worry about losing their corporate history).
© Getty Images
14 / 27 Fotos
Digital hoarding prevention
- Experts recommend a few practical steps to prevent digital clutter from escalating into a hoarding disorder.
© Shutterstock
15 / 27 Fotos
Bit by bit
- Dr. Albers suggests starting each day with a brief digital audit, deleting unnecessary emails and closing unused tabs. By spending a few minutes decluttering before work, "you'll set yourself up for a more productive day."
© Shutterstock
16 / 27 Fotos
Organize your digital space
- Create a clear folder structure to save important files and use tags to categorize them.
© Shutterstock
17 / 27 Fotos
Cut notifications
- Disable unnecessary notifications and unsubscribe from unwanted emails. This will help you stay focused and avoid distractions, reducing digital clutter in the process.
© Shutterstock
18 / 27 Fotos
Set boundaries
- Minimize your time spent checking emails and social media notifications. Use your device's silent and "do not disturb" features to reduce distractions.
© Getty Images
19 / 27 Fotos
Set boundaries
- Experts also recommend reducing the number of social media accounts you follow, which can help decrease feed clutter and minimize mindless scrolling.
© Shutterstock
20 / 27 Fotos
Detox
- Take a digital detox day, or at least some time offline. This can help you feel less overwhelmed by constant notifications and digital clutter.
© Shutterstock
21 / 27 Fotos
When to seek help - If you're struggling with school or work, having trouble sleeping, or feeling disconnected from others, these may be signs of significant distress. It might be helpful to consult a mental health professional, Albers suggests.
© Shutterstock
22 / 27 Fotos
Challenges
- The Anxiety and Depression Association of America notes that treating hoarding disorder can be challenging due to factors like low motivation, poor self-awareness, significant clutter, and long-standing hoarding behaviors.
© Shutterstock
23 / 27 Fotos
Other conditions
- The high rate of co-occurring mental health conditions, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and executive dysfunction, can further complicate treatment.
© Shutterstock
24 / 27 Fotos
Treatment - While there's no one-size-fits-all treatment for hoarding disorder, several therapies have proven effective. Motivational interviewing can help individuals overcome the initial hurdles of decluttering, often a daunting task.
© Shutterstock
25 / 27 Fotos
Treatment
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a cornerstone treatment for hoarding disorder. It focuses on understanding the underlying causes of hoarding behaviors, reducing acquisition, improving decision-making skills, and challenging unhelpful beliefs about possessions. Sources: (CNN) (Anxiety & Depression Association of America) (National Library of Medicine)
See also: What happens when you quit social media?
© Shutterstock
26 / 27 Fotos
Out of storage: is digital hoarding indicative of a disorder?
How hoarding photos and digital documents can signal a deeper issue
© Shutterstock
We've all experienced that dreaded notification: "Storage almost full.” This constant reminder signals a device or inbox overflowing with emails, photos, and documents. What starts as a convenient way to store information can quickly turn into a digital hoarding problem. Experts now classify this behavior as a disorder, highlighting its serious impact on mental health and productivity.
According to Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, psychiatrist and director of clinical and research affairs at the Boston-based International OCD Foundation, an estimated 3% to 5% of the global population—about 8 to 12 million people in the United States—suffers from hoarding disorder.
From work computers to smartphones, digital clutter can become a serious source of stress and anxiety. In this gallery, we'll explore the reasons behind digital hoarding and uncover practical tips to declutter your digital life.
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