By Shirley M. Mueller, M.D
Although one-third of the American population, roughly 107 million, collect one thing or another, far fewer are hoarders. They include only 2-3 percent of the entire population rather than the roughly thirty-three percent who are collectors.
Sadly, however, this latter group and even their families can be miserable, In fact, studies suggest that most hoarders carry a psychiatric diagnosis. In a large U.S. study, depressive disorder was found in over 50% of hoarders, while generalized anxiety disorder and/or social phobia were found in roughly 25%. Less than 20% had obsessive-compulsive disorder.
A Collector Versus a Hoarder


It is critical to distinguish hoarding from collecting because the former can become an unpleasant and devastating situation not only for that individual but also for those close to the hoarder. The families of collectors, however, often are proud of the relative who collects.
Ashley Keller and her research team at King’s College, London, studied this subject extensively. They found that the greatest distinction between a hoarder and a collector is the levels of organization. Collectors engage in “ritualistic behavior around organizing their items,” Keller explains, “whereas with our hoarders we see a much more indiscriminate acquisition process, and this emphasis on organization just isn’t there.”
One of the most intriguing findings from the King’s College research was that collectors tended to have larger property sizes than hoarders. Keller says that there are two conflicting interpretations for this:
–“Either hoarders tend to have smaller properties because they are functioning less well—unlike collectors, they are suffering from a prolonged psychiatric condition, so their career suffers, or they stop working at all,
–“or, because one of the criteria for being a hoarder is that your living space is impeded, it takes longer for someone with a big home to reach that.”
Collector Peculiarities
– Collecting on the edge
Even if they don’t qualify as hoarders, collectors may have their own peculiarities. Louise C. Herreshoff (1876–1967) and her husband, Euchlin D. Reeves (1903–1967), who ultimately gave their collection to Washington and Lee University, are one example. They were unusual as a couple: Louise was 66 and Euchlin 38 when they married in 1941; hardly mainstream, even today. It seems the glue that bound the couple together was likely not romantic (he called her “Doll”; she called him “Boy”) but instead a passion for collecting. They shared a craving for porcelain and art which resulted in their buying a second house next to the one in which they lived, specifically for their gathered objects. Eventually, there was no living space in either house; both were filled to capacity with stacks of porcelain, furniture, and paintings. The Euchlins, however, despite living in cramped quarters due to their collecting, are not categorized as hoarders. They chose their high-end treasures in an organized way while living a full life through collecting together. This is far different than the pain and suffering typically endured by hoarders and their families.– Social phobia
Other hard-core collectors may have different peculiarities. Collected objects, of course, do not talk back. Therefore, for some collectors, acquiring and appreciating them may be easier than developing close relationships. Some would call this fear of intimacy a social phobia, in this case with objects substituting for humans.
Past history
Werner Muensterberger, the author of the 1994 book Collecting: An Unruly Passion, proposed that unresolved childhood anxieties may be at the root of the collecting impulse. Muensterberger was a psychoanalyst, and this kind of logic was consistent with his field when he wrote his book.
Today, few experts would say that collecting is pathological. For example, Louise and Euchlin Reeves, though extreme collectors with peculiarities, could be on one far end of a normal psychological bell curve. In other words, collecting is not necessarily about compensating for earlier disappointment by providing deceptive comfort, but rather about enriching life in a real way that has enduring benefits. Moreover, collecting can be a fulfilling activity that enhances one’s life, providing a sense of purpose and satisfaction that goes beyond mere material accumulation.
Summary
Distinguishing between hoarding and collecting is crucial as hoarding can devastate families, whereas collecting can bring pride. Research from King’s College, London, led by Ashley Keller, highlights organization as the key difference. Collectors are meticulous in organizing their items, while hoarders acquire indiscriminately without organization.
Collectors, however, can have their own peculiarities, such as preferring objects over relationships, which might indicate social phobia. Additionally, they may border on hoarding when collecting takes over their lives. Overall, though, collectors are healthy individuals who find that collecting enriches their existence and makes them happier for it.
References:
Shirley M. Mueller, Inside the Head of a Collector: Neuropsychological Forces at Play (2019) Lucia Marquand, Chapter 6.
Shirley M. Mueller, :Hoarders Versus Collectors: Some differentiating points.” Psychology Today, February 14, 2022.
Shirley M. Mueller, M.D., is known for her expertise in Chinese export porcelain and neuroscience. Her unique knowledge in these two areas motivated her to explore the neuropsychological aspects of collecting, both to help herself and others as well. This guided her to write her landmark book, Inside the Head of a Collector: Neuropsychological Forces at Play. In it, she uses the new field of neuropsychology to explain the often-enigmatic behavior of collectors. Shirley is also a well-known speaker. She has shared her insights in London, Paris, Shanghai, and other major cities worldwide as well as across the United States. In these lectures, she blends art and science to unravel the mysteries of the collector’s mind.
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