Wang's shopping addiction has caused considerable distress to her neighbors. Packages piled up in the hallway, emitting a foul odor, attracting flies and mosquitoes, and posing a fire hazard. "Every morning when I open my door, an indescribable smell hits me," said Lu, a neighbor.

Photos reveal Wang's 80 m2 apartment filled to the ceiling with goods, leaving no room to walk. She has to crawl over piles of items and sleep sitting up due to lack of space.

Mountains of online purchases fill Wang's 80+ m2 apartment in Shanghai, being cleared by sanitation workers in 5/2024. Photo: Sohu

Efforts by local authorities and Wang's daughter to clear the apartment have only provided temporary relief. A year later, her apartment was again overflowing with goods, prompting her to rent a second 90 m2 apartment and fill the building's basement parking area.

Wang primarily purchases gold, silver, collectibles, and health supplements from livestream shopping sessions. Many packages delivered years ago remain unopened, still bearing their original labels.

Explaining her unusual habit, Wang says spending money brings her a sense of exhilaration. However, another reason is that after selling her house in the city center, she feared acquaintances would ask for loans if they knew she had money. "I'd rather spend all my money than give them a reason to borrow," she said.

A small portion of Wang's packages are cleared by authorities and piled in the building's basement parking in Shanghai in 5/2024. Photo: Sohu

Medically, Wang's behavior may indicate hoarding disorder. Doctor Yan Feng at the Shanghai Mental Health Center explains that when hoarding becomes uncontrollable, it transforms into a pathological response.

Currently, there are no specialized psychiatric clinics for hoarding behavior in China. However, Doctor Yan Feng has treated numerous elderly patients with similar behaviors. According to a survey, the prevalence of hoarding disorder among the elderly can reach 6%.

Doctor Yan Feng warns that if an elderly person suddenly exhibits hoarding behavior accompanied by memory decline, it's crucial to consider the possibility of Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia.

Shi Yanfeng, a member of the Shanghai Positive Psychology Association, notes that several studies indicate at least 50% of hoarding disorder patients also suffer from depression or anxiety disorders.

"Forced cleanups can worsen the patient's emotional state and even exacerbate the hoarding behavior," Doctor Yan Feng explains. He believes addressing this issue requires comprehensive social, psychological, and biological intervention, involving a long-term treatment process.

Minh Phuong (According to Sohu)