Y:        So Don, any big weekend plans?

D:        Nope, Yaël.  But I really need to organize my garage . . . there's stuff all over the place.

Y:        But you can still park your car inside, right?  And your house isn't so cluttered that you can't find a chair to sit in or a bed to sleep in?

D:        Of course not.

Y:        Good.  Because there are some people who keep so much stuff lying around that it totally disrupts their lives.  It's called compulsive hoarding syndrome.

D:        Isn't that just a fancy name for being unorganized.

Y:        No.  Compulsive hoarding is a neuropsychiatric disorder.  Compulsive hoarders tend to hang on to stuff that most people consider junk, like old take out menus, magazines, bank deposits, and so on.  And all that stuff takes up so much space that it completely disrupts their lives.  There are even health risks caused by insect infestations and mold.

D:        So is it like compulsive hoarders can't throw stuff away even if they want to?

Y:        Exactly.  Where most people have little trouble getting rid of junk mail, for example, compulsive hoarders feel anxious that they may be throwing out some important information.  Scientists think it may have a genetic link, since compulsive hoarding runs in families.  And it may be caused by low functioning in a part of the brain involved with decision making and spatial organization.

D:        Wow.  Are there treatments?

Y:        Yes . . . drugs and other therapies.  But there could be millions of people with the disorder who don't get treatment because people think they're just lazy.

D:        But they can't help it. 

Y:        Right.