The Etiopathogenesis of Diogenes Syndrome

Diogenes syndrome is characterised by extreme self-neglect of environment, health, and hygiene, excessive hoarding, squalor, social withdrawal, and a distinct lack of concern or shame regarding one’s living condition’ [1]. There have been proposals to use the term ‘severe domestic squalor’, and previously, the cluster of symptoms has been known as ‘senile squalor syndrome’. Diogenes is not uniquely recognised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM); however, the closely related condition Hoarding Disorder appears in the fifth version [2]. Numerous case report studies suggest that the constellation of symptoms representative of Diogenes is distinct from other closely related disorders. This mini-review presents a brief overview of cases highlighting the complexity and diversity of patients suffering from Diogenes, underscoring the importance of diagnostic criteria and classification to treat this condition accurately.