#Hoarding

A recent wave of research and personal testimony is reframing hoarding not as mere clutter or eccentric collecting but as a complex mental-health condition often rooted in trauma, with serious safety and social consequences — and new treatments, including virtual reality, are showing promise. Reporting this week that brings together first-person accounts and clinical trials highlights how hoarding disorder (HD) was added to global diagnostic manuals only in the past decade, affects millions, commonly co-occurs with other health problems, and requires a compassionate, long-term approach that balances safety, legal rights and therapeutic care [CNN; WHO; US Senate report]. For Thai readers, the findings point to gaps in recognition and services here at home — but also to practical steps families and local services can take, from harm-reduction to peer-led programs and mental-health referral pathways [CNN; Department of Mental Health, Thailand].

Groundbreaking clinical research and deeply personal accounts from survivors are transforming how mental health professionals understand hoarding disorder, revealing it as a complex trauma response rather than simple disorganization or excessive collecting habits. Leading international studies published this month demonstrate that hoarding disorder, officially recognized in diagnostic manuals only since 2013, affects millions globally while remaining severely underdiagnosed, particularly in Thai communities where cultural values around thrift and saving can mask serious mental health conditions. The latest evidence shows that innovative treatments, including virtual reality therapy and peer-support programs, offer new hope for families struggling with this challenging condition. Most significantly for Thai readers, these findings expose critical gaps in local recognition and treatment services while highlighting practical, culturally-sensitive interventions that families and communities can implement immediately.

An eye-opening new investigation is unraveling the hidden layers of the ultra-wealthy’s personal lives, revealing that vast fortunes do not necessarily insulate individuals from emotional challenges or problematic behaviors. Friends, aides, and associates of billionaires and multimillionaires have disclosed a tapestry of secrets, painting a picture of high drama, emotional volatility, and even compulsive hoarding behind closed doors—offering a rare look at the underbelly of luxury living.

This research, highlighted in a recent Daily Mail report, compiles anecdotes from those intimately familiar with the ultra-rich. Among the revelations: explosive tantrums triggered by minor inconveniences, elaborate rituals of control over staff, and shocking hoarding episodes where designer goods and prized objects accumulate in chaotic, unsanitary piles. Such accounts fundamentally challenge the public’s common perception of wealthy lifestyles as effortless, orderly, or immune to everyday anxieties.