Many people who dream of an organized, uncluttered home à la Marie Kondo find it hard to decide what to keep and what to let go. But for those with hoarding disorder -- a mental condition estimated to affect 2.5% of the U.S. population -- the reluctance to let go can reach dangerous and debilitating levels.
Sometimes the condition is discovered through cluttered backgrounds on Zoom calls or, tragically, when firefighters respond to a fire, Rodriguez said. Precarious piles of stuff not only prevent people from sleeping in their beds and cooking in their kitchens, but they can also attract pests; block fire exits; and collapse on occupants, first responders and clinicians offering treatment.
As with many mental health disorders, the causes of hoarding disorder are not well understood, Rodriguez said, but could involve difficulty processing information, making decisions, sustaining attention or regulating emotions. People with the disorder may fear a loss of security or identity giving up their treasured possessions.The virtual experience can serve as"a kind of stepping stone," a less intense version of real-life discarding, Rodriguez said.
Most participants said VR decluttering helped them part with possessions in real life, though some found the VR experience unrealistic. The researchers hope that newer technology will improve the VR experience and perhaps allow augmented reality, in which virtual objects are overlaid in the patient's real home.