People who develop Diogenes syndrome experience a gradually expanding disconnect with the surrounding world, and with their own emotional and biological needs. The condition is marked by extreme self-neglect and a loss of interest in cleanliness, order, and hygiene in general. It is generally associated with aging, but Diogenes syndrome has been diagnosed in people under the age of 65 as well.
Men and women with Diogenes syndrome frequently live in squalor and deprivation, as they lose the capacity and motivation to keep themselves or their homes clean and presentable. They often resort to hoarding behavior, cluttering their environments with useless or inessential items. Their self-neglect is so severe that it often puts them at grave risk for health complications, and without intervention their self-care skills may atrophy to the point of non-existence.
Among the many effects of Diogenes Syndrome is an increased risk for substance abuse and dependency. Men and women with this condition may turn to drugs and alcohol as a way of dealing with the stress, turmoil, and unhappiness their condition causes, which is a common pattern in those who experience extreme mental disturbances.
There is no doubt that alcohol and drug abuse can make the symptoms of Diogenes syndrome worse, and in some cases it appears to be implicated in the actual onset of the syndrome. Consequently, it is vital that people who exhibit the symptoms of Diogenes syndrome and addiction receive comprehensive medical and therapeutic attention.
Types of Diogenes Syndrome
There are two varieties of this disorder:
- Primary Diogenes Syndrome: The development of the condition is not related to the onset, or worsening, of any other psychological, emotional, or behavioral health disorders.
- Secondary Diogenes Syndrome: The symptoms of the syndrome are determined to be a side effect or symptom of another medical condition.
Studies have found that each type represents about half of all diagnosed cases of Diogenes syndrome.
