Earlier today I read a magazine article about hoarding. Apparently this is gaining recognition as a form of mental illness. (Hoarding, which is only a short step beyond being a pack rat, is defined as obsessively collecting items that others would consider to be useless or junk.) As I read this article, a lot of things became clear. It's believed to be genetic in nature. People who hoard tend to have perfectionist personalities. Hoarders are able to see multiple uses for ordinary items, which is why they hang onto things that normal people would discard. And while there is no know "cure" for hoarders, with intensive therapy they can be helped.
If anyone's interested in learning more, I've kept the magazine for reference.
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