Similarities Between Overeating & Hoarding Disorders

On the surface, overeating and hoarding disorders may not seem closely related. However, the two disorders have much in common. In fact, they may be exhibited in the same person. With both overeating and hoarding, the affected person often has a sharply diminished quality of life. In addition, family members are also often adversely affected as well.

Overeating Defined

• The most obvious result of chronic overeating is obesity. People who are affected by compulsive overeating indulge in binge eating, or eating food in much larger quantities than most people would consume under similar circumstances. While many people may overindulge occasionally, for instance, during the holiday season, compulsive overeaters binge regularly.
  Unlike with bulimia, compulsive overeaters do not purge. Compulsive overeating also differs from a childhood condition known as Prader-Willi syndrome, in which the brain is functionally unable to control appetite and the child is unable to control food intake without intensive intervention and treatment.

Hoarding Defined

• Hoarding is defined as compulsive gathering and retention of items of little or no value, with an inability to discard them. Hoarding differs from collecting: collectors obtain like items or items that are related. Collectors also usually take pride in displaying their collections, whereas hoarders often live with disordered chaos. Hoarding also differs from collecting items with little material worth but great sentimental value, such as a possession that serves as a reminder of a loved one who has died.

Excessive Intake

• Both compulsive overeating and hoarding have features of excessive intake. With compulsive overeaters, the excessive intake involves food. With hoarding, the excessive intake involves physical items.
  Some compulsive hoarders have several of the same item, but use none of them. Others will keep broken items that are well beyond any hope of repair. Some compulsive overeaters will also hoard food. This is especially true if family members attempt to limit the food intake of the overeater.

A Wall of Self-Protection

• In many instances, being overweight serves as a wall of self-protection. This is often true of girls or women who have suffered sexual abuse, who consciously or unconsciously gain weight to protect themselves. This coping behavior is not limited to women; a large percentage of compulsive overeaters are men.
  With hoarding, many sufferers also show symptoms of social anxiety. The chaos of their surroundings serves as a buffer to keep others out. This is not to say that hoarders do not feel anxiety, guilt or shame about their hoarding behaviors. However, like with compulsive overeating, they simply cannot bring themselves to stop without intervention.

Hiding and Secrecy

• Although most compulsive overeaters are overweight, they may attempt to disguise how much they eat from family members and friends. They may eat limited amounts in the presence of others, and reserve their binges for when they are alone. Compulsive hoarders may also attempt to hide new acquisitions, especially if they have purchased duplicates of items they may already own.

Diminished Quality of Life

• Both compulsive overeaters and hoarders often suffer greatly diminished quality of life. Isolation is a major factor with both disorders. Family members may be embarrassed or worried by the behavior of the overeater or the hoarder. With both overeating and hoarding, professional help is often necessary to make a real impact and bring about a change in behavior.