The same problem is acknowledged in Western countries, such as Syndrome de Diogène (France), Messy Syndrom (Germany), Hoarding Disorder (America).
It can be perceived in relation with the concept of self-neglect (from Kishi, Japan).
A certain municipality defines "garbage house" by the fact that a "bad condition" is caused by accumulation.
"Bad condition" is defined as occurrence of pests and rats, occurrence of a bad smell, risk of fire hazards.
Most Japanese residents in the "garbage house" were senior citizens and isolated situation was observed.
The majority of Japanese residents in the "garbage house" did not show clear evidence of psychiatric illnesses.
The things accumulated showed traces of human activities (ex. eaten left overs).
It is often said that "the resident in the garbage house is indifferent to the present situation", but there is a duality of "indifferent to such a situation" and "having interest to the things they accumulate" at the same time.
It is often said that "the resident in the garbage house are unable to hold a discussion", but while not responding to the persuasion to "clean up", they would respond to talk about "the things they gather".
Question arises: what is the society and psychiatry like where they regard this accumulating behavior in old age as "garbage house"?
Unified and homogenized society with no shadow such as "garbage".
The collapse of the local community and the isolation of the elderly. The structure to eliminate the elderly from the young generation's side ("Rogai (a Japanese term which indicates the harm caused by the elderly)", "wasteful use of tax")
It seems that such society itself is part of the reason why this accumulating act is considered problematic.
In incorporating garbage houses into mental health care, you should be conscious of the possibility that social intolerance may be the basis of this "problem".