》Diogenes syndrome is a behavioral-health condition characterized by poor personal hygiene, hoarding, and unkempt living conditions. It is most common in older men and women, which is why it is also called senile squalor syndrome.
》People with the condition often show signs of severe self-neglect, social isolation, and hoarding. They may live in unsanitary conditions. The person does not make a conscious decision to do this.
》Symptoms vary, but a cluster of common features may be present, including signs of self-neglect.
These include:
poor insight or understanding of self-hygiene, public health, or safety
distrust of society or strangers
paranoia or general suspiciousness
aloofness or detachment
extreme social anxiety
obsessive-compulsive tendencies
excessive hoarding or collecting of household items and waste
unsanitary or unsafe living conditions
poor nutrition or diet
unwillingness to accept outside help or intervention
fear or distrust of medical professionals and settings
hostility and aggression towards others
a distorted concept of reality
skin conditions due to poor hygiene, such as dermatitis passivata
》As Diogenes syndrome usually occurs with other conditions and there is little research about it, the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition, (DSM V) does not list it as a psychiatric condition.
》Research suggests that it is most common among people with average intelligence, who are over 60 years, and who live alone.
》Diogenes syndrome can be primary or secondary:
Primary: No other existing medical condition triggers the condition.
Secondary: The syndrome results from another mental health disorders.
》Treatment
Diogenes syndrome may be hard to treat in some people, but ongoing care is important. People with the disorder may be at risk for life-threatening illness or injury if untreated. Their condition may also cause environmental risks to those around them.
A doctor will look for underlying factors to help determine the best treatment. Determining the person's competency is an important first step. If the person is able to take part in their own treatment, behavioral therapies like those used for compulsive hoarding, may help.
Treatments may include medications used to treat anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, or psychosis.
Support groups or other types of support networking can also help if the person is willing to take part in them.
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Psychology Facts
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