The Little Mermaid and her Connection with Hoarding

Melissa Legault
Abnormal Psychology
Anthony Smith
April 30, 2013

Most children grow up watching Disney movies. It might be shocking to hear that a Disney princess may suffer from a psychological disorder. In Walt Disney’s movie The Little Mermaid, I think the main character Ariel suffers from disposophbia, also known as hoarding. Obsessive-compulsive disorder/hoarding has always interested me. These people take collecting to an unhealthy level. Ariel is the perfect example of a Hoarder.
Hoarding is not currently considered an illness on its own right. Compulsive hoarding has been treated as symptom or subtype of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Cluttergone).
Diogenes syndrome is a disorder of self-neglect that is associated with severe personality disorders, most common in the elderly. Most of the research carried out on compulsive hoarding is around the relationship between Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and hoarding. New research has raised doubts about the OCD connection. Researchers have learned that while some hoarding behaviors would respond to OCD treatments, some will not (Cluttergone) This is what I believe Ariel’s case to be. I do not think she suffers from both Obsessive Compulsive disorder and hoarding. Not much is understood about the causes of hoarding, which is thought to affect over a million Americans. Compulsive hoarders may have a difficult time getting rid of objects because they are anxious they will need them in the future, feel the items have sentimental value or do not want to be wasteful. Most people that suffer from hoarding often can’t sit in their living rooms, sleep in their bedrooms or cook in their kitchens. Many have a narrow path from room to room in their homes to navigate through the clutter. It may be very difficult to find a valuable item in all the mess. There many safety hazards, such as tripping over piles, or the danger of fire with stacks of papers all over the house. The people who live in houses with excessive clutter are at risk of more health problems from the excess amount of dust, mildew and fungus that can be caused by the disorder