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The Connection Between the Little Mermaid and Hoarding

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The Connection Between the Little Mermaid and Hoarding
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). About 15% of people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder report compulsive hoarding as their major problem. It usually will begin in childhood and may go unnoticed until adulthood (Kelly). The DSM-IV lists Compulsive Hoarding only as a symptom of OCD. The DSM-IV does not list hoarding behavior in the diagnostic criterion of OCD. However with the DSM-V, soon to be out, hoarding disorder or compulsive hoarding is expected to be defined as its disorder rather than being a symptom of OCD (Cluttergone). The Little Mermaid is based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen. The Little Mermaid is the story about a mermaid named Ariel who longs to be part of the human world. She lives in an underwater kingdom with her father King Triton. She falls in love with a human, Prince Eric and, by making a dangerous risk with the sea witch Ursula, she trades in her fins and her voice for human legs. Ariel has but three days to make Eric fall in love with her. If he does, she will live happily ever after in his world. If he doesn't, Ursula will enslave her. During the movie Ariel and her best fish friend Flounder love to collect human artifacts. This is where the hoarding comes into play. In the beginning of the movie,


References: Cluttergone ((n.d.)). Retrieved from http://www.compulsive-hoarding.org/Definition.html Frost, Randy O.Steketee, Gail. (2010) Stuff :compulsive hoarding and the meaning of things Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Kelly, P. D. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ocd.about.com/od/glossary/g/Hoarding.htm Wilson, E. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.alternet.org/story/111030/how_compulsive_hoarding_can_threaten_your_health_and_take_over_your_life
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