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Book hoarding, or bibliomania, is an OCD disorder where a person collects books regardless of interest or value, often amassing a collection that takes over their home. It can lead to health problems, strain relationships, and cause financial issues. Hoarders may not recognize the symptoms as OCD and may not seek treatment.
Book hoarding is a disorder, sometimes referred to as bibliomania, in which a person collects books of any kind, regardless of interest or value. The book hoarder can amass a collection that is kept in every room of his house, often leaving room for little else. Experts refer to this as OCD because the hoarder cannot control his urge to collect or hoard books. The hoarding of books can disrupt one’s life by threatening relationships with loved ones or causing the individual to steal to support the obsession with her.
People affected by book hoarding typically buy books that are of no interest to them. Other symptoms of book hoarding include browsing flea markets, auctions or garage sales, and buying entire collections. The book hoarder can collect paperback editions or hard copies.
People who confess to hoarding books usually admit that their massive collections aren’t neatly stacked on shelves. Most book hoarders can’t find a way to neatly organize their ever-growing book collection. The house of the book hoarder is often very messy and untidy.
In extreme cases, the hoarder of books may even suffer from health problems, as he may choose to stock every cabinet in his home with books instead of food. The accumulation of books can make a person’s home intolerable for visiting family and friends. The hoarding of books can strain relationships and can even contribute to divorce.
Buying books can become such an obsession that many with the disorder find themselves in debt. A hoarder can purchase an exorbitant amount of books on credit and find himself unable to pay for them. Other extreme cases can cause accumulators to lose their jobs. This can happen for various reasons, mainly due to infrequent attendance at work. Lost days of work can be due to a person buying books in stores or spending most of the day on the Internet looking for books for sale.
Bibliomania doesn’t just refer to obsessive book collecting. Book hoarding can also include collecting all types of printed literature, including magazines, brochures, and catalogues. Some hoarders may order brochures and catalogs of all kinds just to add to their collection.
Although book hoarding may be classified as an OCD by experts, many who are afflicted with hoarding exhibit no other repetitive actions. The individual who hoards books may not recognize the symptoms as an OCD. Some may deny that a problem exists and therefore not seek behavior modification treatment.
