Hoarding Disorder (HD) is defined by a persistent urge to save possessions and intense emotional discomfort at the thought of discarding them, regardless of their objective value. This behaviour leads to the excessive accumulation of disorganised items, rendering key living spaces cluttered and often unusable (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). While HD is classified within the spectrum of obsessive–compulsive and related disorders in the DSM-5 (APA, 2013), its features of compulsive acquiring and the sense of desire or gratification associated with objects align more closely with the mechanisms of behavioural addictions.

We illuminate paths to mental wellness with focus on the powerful connection between people and their surroundings. While much research in environmental psychology looks at climate change and pro-environmental behaviour, our approach is different. We start with the environment itself — your home, your office environment, your community space — and ask: Does this space truly support your human needs?

Therapeutic Consultancy
Environmental Psychology
Mental Health

When Object Attachment Gets Out of Control

Hoarding Disorder (HD) affects ~2.5% of adults in developed countries - about 1 in 40 people struggle to let go of items, even when clutter creates chronic stress and mental health challenges.

Compulsive Buying Behaviour (CBB) affects ~5–6% of adults worldwide and 1 in 20 people find themselves stuck in cycles of unnecessary shopping and regret.

Up to 1 in 6 of young people report shopping to soothe stress, sadness, or emptiness, using purchases as a way to cope with emotions.

Wellbeing can be understood in two main ways. Some people see it as the absence of negatives — things like stress, illness, fatigue, or uncertainty. In this view, when those difficulties are reduced, wellbeing improves.

Others see wellbeing as the presence of positives — things like happiness, growth, resilience, meaningful connections, or a sense of purpose. Here, wellbeing isn’t just about avoiding problems, but about actively thriving.

Because wellbeing is multi-dimensional. Some studies measure it through stress or illness levels (a “deficit approach”), while others measure it through positive outcomes such as life satisfaction or resilience (a “salutogenic approach”).