Is there a typical cause for Diogenes syndrome?Īs it is with the majority of mental health disorders, Diogenes syndrome hasn’t been traced to a single or direct cause as of this writing. The most common are the risks of fire, respiratory health problems, feelings of isolation, claustrophobia, moulds and the emergence of vermin such as flies or rats. Many of these are influenced directly by the conditions and materials that make up the subject’s living space. There are a multitude of risks that can materialize even after a short period of compulsive hoarding. In combination with one another, these accumulated items can begin to pose health risks over time. Book hoarding: a pack-rat doesn’t let the pages become a home for small animals. The most common items are clothes, books, flyers, bills, boxes, food and electronics. The onset of this behavioral disorder is uninfluenced by hereditary factors or socioeconomics, but research shows that it is most common in adults over the age of 60 who live alone.ĭiogenes syndrome can be primary, meaning not triggered by existing medical conditions, or secondary – which means occurring as a result of other medical conditions.Ĭompulsive hoarders can accumulate a wide variety of objects based on their individual sensibilities. Factors That Typify Hoarding Disorderĭiogenes syndrome occurs equally between men and women. Note also that some of the more serious effects are completely missing from what we see with pack-rat behavior. This very often results in the “breaking point” that ultimately leads to official diagnosis, as it pushes neighbours and loved ones to contact professionals for an intervention. In the most severe cases of Diogenes syndrome, disorder and lack of hygiene almost always result in the proliferation of insects, allergens and moulds in the living space. Anger, resentment or delusions of persecution when encouraged to clean up by their peers or loved ones.A state of denial: subjects are typically unaware of the state of the environment in which they live, and believe everything is normal.Social isolation and/or refusal to receive people at home.Compulsive accumulation of garbage and even excrement in some cases (theirs or those of their pets).Objects occupy the subject’s entire living space, blocking even the exits. An unhealthy accumulation of useless objects (magazines, trinkets, boxes, plastic bags, clothes, etc.).In almost everyone, the syndrome is either rooted in childhood experience or appears after a significant emotional shock.
This disorder can also affect elderly people who have just experienced bereavement ( e.g. When subjects are young, the disorder is almost always accompanied by a psychiatric illness, such as schizophrenia. Other cross-over symptoms between the two disorders include pulling away from social engagement, false beliefs, and anxiety.Īnyone can suffer from Diogenes syndrome, regardless of age or gender. Schizophrenia in a child may be marked by abnormal behavior, including strange speech and limited ability to comprehend reality. So how do we recognize this disorder in our loved ones? And how do we avoid making it worse? Symptoms of Compulsive HoardingĬompulsive behaviors often come and go as phases in young adults, but sometimes hoarding can serve as a serious sign of Diogenes syndrome. They may get teased from time to time about being a pack-rat (sounds a lot more harmless then be told he or she likes to hoard!) However in the vast majority of individuals, these situations don’t go on to cause an actual disorder and – after some time – they manage to restore order in their environment. Dishes piling up in the sink, hanging linens everywhere, half-opened moving boxes in every corner with various trinkets strewn across the floor and so on. Many people aren’t obsessed with neatness and cleanliness, and we’ve all found our homes in a state of chaos at one time or another.
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