Why do some elderly people always like to collect garbage at home even though they are not short of money?

Review expert: Li Xianhong, national second-level psychological counselor

The name of the spiritual problem we are going to talk about today comes from a famous philosopher: Diogenes of Sinope (also translated as Diogenes, Diogenes).

He lived in the 4th century BC and was a representative of the Cynic school . He believed that anything other than natural needs must be met was unnecessary, unnatural and insignificant. He even lived a very simple life, with simple food and clothing, and lived in a large jar in the city of Athens.

Image of Diogenes

Source: Wikipedia

Although the name comes from him, the symptoms of Diogenes syndrome patients are very different from the habits of Diogenes himself.

What is Diogenes syndrome?

Diogenes syndrome is a behavioral disorder characterized by poor hygiene, garbage hoarding, emotional indifference, and poor interpersonal relationships.

Through characterization, this condition is also known as dirty mess syndrome or house syndrome. The condition was first discovered in 1966 and was named "Diogenes" by ANG Clarke et al. after the ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes mentioned above.

Unlike general hoarding, patients with Diogenes syndrome have no feelings for many of the hoarded items. Most people with hoarding habits are ashamed to let others see where they live and what they hoard, but Diogenes syndrome patients lack shame. At the same time, it is this "calm" attitude that makes it difficult for family and friends around them to realize that they are sick. Until this indifferent attitude affects their own safety.

Stacked cardboard boxes source 丨pixabay

This disease is more common in the elderly . Studies have shown that stress in life can trigger the disease, but the time interval between stress and onset is not consistent. Some are setbacks encountered recently, while others are unresolved knots and unhealed traumas from youth.

Here is a case study from a psychiatry resident:

Mr. F is a successful entrepreneur who is humble and humorous. As he gets older, he has not developed Alzheimer's disease or other cognitive impairments. However, he was unfortunately diagnosed with sinus cancer not long ago. His son mentioned that after his father learned that he was diagnosed with cancer, he began to hoard rotten garbage and even excrement at home, making the whole house extremely crowded and messy.

Source: hippopx

However, Mr. F's attitude towards the disease was not as strange and negative as his actions showed. Although he was a little depressed, he was not desperate. His hoarding was not out of regretful nostalgia, but more like an unconscious neglect.

Further research

Professor Guo Shenchang, chief expert in the Department of Psychology at the Jinan University Brain Hospital, believes that Diogenes syndrome is not a specific disease but may be an early manifestation of Alzheimer's disease.

Studies have shown that damage to the prefrontal lobe of the brain, which is responsible for higher-level cognitive activities such as reasoning and decision-making, can lead to Diogenes syndrome, but not all Diogenes syndrome patients suffer from brain damage; some elderly people with Diogenes syndrome also have tidying habits while hoarding, and they will arrange the hoarded items in an orderly manner.

Source: pixabay

At present, the medical community generally believes that Diogenes syndrome does not fall within the scope of clinical diagnosis . Doctors and researchers still find it difficult to determine the root cause of the disease, and it is also difficult for society to capture the exact signs of the disease, which brings certain difficulties to early intervention treatment.

Source: hippopx

On the other hand, most patients with Diogenes syndrome do not feel sick . The emotions brought by this disease, including aggression, stubbornness, suspicion of others, etc., can make patients angrily refuse treatment, which puts many doctors in a dilemma. Patients who are forced to be hospitalized usually become worse. Studies on mortality during hospitalization show that about half of patients will die during hospitalization, and a quarter of patients are sent home and face the risk of recurrence in another quarter of hospitalization.

Thus, the doctor's main goal is to help improve the patient's lifestyle, help them find happiness in other ways, and help the patient develop healthy social relationships. Nursing homes are often considered the best treatment, and patients need to trust the medical staff's treatment methods, limit the number of visitors to the patient, and keep the number of caregivers to one nurse or one social worker.

The dilemma we face in old age

In April last year, when Shanghai was under lockdown, there was a news story about an old man who often went out to look through trash cans in the middle of the night and contracted COVID-19. He did not need to rely on scavenging to make a living, but he could not control his behavior.

As soon as this happened, he was strongly condemned by the neighbors, who accused him of being deliberate or malicious. Such news is not uncommon. When reading newspapers, we will find that there are often elderly people who collect garbage and fill their homes. The odor attracts accusations and even abuse from neighbors. Such consequences have even made the situation of many elderly people even more difficult.

Source: hippopx

Today, after learning about "Diogenes Syndrome", what do you think of this kind of news? my country is a country with a large population. With the aging population on the rise, we still have a lot to learn about the plight of the elderly and how to let them enjoy a happy and healthy life.