Psychiatric Mental Health Board Certification Practice Exam

The primary characteristic of Hoarding Disorder is the persistent difficulty in discarding possessions. Individuals with this disorder typically feel a strong emotional attachment to their items, leading to significant distress when considering disposal or separation from those items. This inability to part with possessions often results in clutter that severely limits their living space and can impair daily functioning.

In Hoarding Disorder, the accumulation of items is not merely about collecting; it is driven by an overwhelming sense of anxiety and need related to those possessions. This behavior goes beyond mere clutter and can lead to complications such as health hazards and relational problems due to the excessive buildup of belongings.

The other options describe behaviors or symptoms associated with different mental health conditions. Excessive worrying about appearance pertains more to body image concerns, while compulsively pulling hair and recurrent skin picking are behaviors related to Trichotillomania and Excoriation Disorder, respectively. Each of these conditions has distinct diagnostic criteria and underlying issues separate from those associated with Hoarding Disorder.