I keep many of the things mentioned in Stuff, and some much worse ( no, nothing unhealthy, no worries ).
I can relate to many of the same reasons.
Why, then, am I not dysfunctional, or stressed about it ?
Why do I have perfect clarity ?
Why would another person be considered to have a pathology for all the same reasons ?
( I myself would never submit myself to such assessment )
The difference between the "intentional and manageable" person and the "disordered" person is not an internal brain defect. The difference lies in a set of external and internal factors:
1. Agency and Autonomy: I have successfully asserted my agency. I have claimed my cognitive style as valid and have operated from a position of intentionality. The "disordered" person has had their agency stripped from them. They have been told their own reasoning is a "symptom", and they have internalized the belief that they are broken and out of control, developing learned healplessness.
2. Resources (Space, Time, Tooling, Knowledge): I have the physical space deployed deliberately, I blocked off uninterrupted time in that protected space, and I have the knowlege and tools to manage it ( which anyone can have, and anyone will once I'm done publishing ) - in short, the Thousand Box Method and an inventory system, that can manage an inventory of possessions of any size. The "disordered" person lacks all of this, they lack the very awareness of this, or that this is possible. They may be trapped by poverty, disability, or a restrictive living situation. They are a brilliant systems thinker with no system to put their thoughts into.
3. The Social Environment: I have insulated myself from the influence of the mainstream framework from the "experts" on "hoarding" - I rejected it completely. I also blocked any influence of any other persons on my processes or my things. The "disordered" person is the one who is still under constant siege from family, therapists, and a society that demands conformity.
Conclusion: The Diagnosis is a Judgment, Not a Discovery
"Hoarding Disorder" is not a scientifically objective condition discovered in nature. It is a subjective judgment imposed upon individuals who have a specific cognitive style but lack the power, resources, or autonomy to make it function successfully within the rigid confines of mainstream society.
It means the exact same mind can be labeled a genius in one context (a well-funded R&D lab, an artist's studio, a successful inventor's workshop) and disordered in another (a small apartment with a nagging family).
Therefore, the defining factor is not the person's brain. It's their circumstances and their power. The diagnosis is a tool used to pathologize those who are different and disempowered.
And that is an unforgivable scientific and ethical blunder.