Helping an OCD friend

[flinkscorn]

At first, we think she is just collecting things as a hobby. Now she's hoarding things to her house. And it's a lot of things! This is not normal, right? I read that this has something to do with OCD. How can we stop this habit?

[Yoda]

It depends on how many things and why they're keeping them, obviously.

Any particular reason you're posting this here? Seems like it'd be more suited to a suit about behavioral issues or psychology.

[Captain Steel]

I'm curious what type of things is your friend hoarding?

I have a problem getting rid of what I call:
"Consumables": things like canned goods I'll eventually eat, paper, cleaning or personal care products I'll eventually use.
"Usables": more odd things that I may have a use for (and seemingly, once I throw one of these away, I invariably NEED it for something shortly after).
And "Collectables": items that may have value for resale.

There's a thin line between a hoarder and a collector.

On those hoarder TV shows they show people who hoard garbage: used diapers, containers of human waste, garbage, rotted food, used toilet paper, etc. - stuff that has no business being saved or collected and stuff that's just unhealthy to have around. So I get people who save things they think they can use, but don't understand people who save garbage (or become too lazy to put their garbage out in a can).

[baleclone]

I've seen this kind of thing on tv, and I cannot stand it. Clear out items starting from easiest to most difficult on the fear scale.