When does compulsive hoarding usually begin?

Compulsive hoarding usually begins or worsens after a traumatic event such as a death, divorce, fire, or other stressful incident. But hints of hoarding can appear in childhood and extend into adulthood. And the behavior runs in families, suggesting an inheritable genetic component.

Hoarders often live a lonely life, socially isolated from friends and family. It can start slowly with what seems like harmless piles, but eventually these piles extend beyond their usual place, taking over living areas. The bed is no long conducive for sleeping, the kitchen is no longer a place to cook, and the whole living situation spirals out of control.