Diogenes syndrome, also known as senile squalor syndrome, is a disorder characterized by extreme self-neglect, domestic squalor, social withdrawal, apathy, compulsive hoarding of rubbish, and lack of shame.

The condition was first recognized in 1966 and designated diogenes syndrome by Clark et al. The name derives from Diogenes of Sinope, an ancient Greek philosopher, a Cynic and an ultimate minimalist, who allegedly lived in a barrel. Not only did he not hoard, but he actually sought human company by venturing daily to the Agora. Therefore, this eponym is considered to be a misnomer, Other possible terms are senile breakdown, Plyushkin’s Syndrome (after a character from Gogol’s novel Dead Souls), social breakdown and senile squalor syndrome. Frontal lobe impairment may play a part in the causation (Orrell et al., 1989).

via Diogenes syndrome – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.