China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Other uncommon psychiatric syndromes
Published in David Enoch, Basant K. Puri, Hadrian Ball, Uncommon Psychiatric Syndromes, 2020
David Enoch, Basant K. Puri, Hadrian Ball
As reported above, Diogenes syndrome is associated with many medical problems (Dyer et al., 2007; Assal, 2018; Klosterkotter and Peters, 1985). Cases have been described in which some co-morbid conditions have been life-threatening, such as folic acid deficiency (Sheridan and Jamieson, 2015) and Paget disease (Sami et al., 2014). Freeman and Byard (2014) described a case of fatal haemorrhage from an undiagnosed rectal carcinoma.
The elements of consent: information and understanding
Published in Ann Orme-Smith, John Spicer, Ethics in General Practice, 2018
Occasionally, statutory powers can be used to overwhelm the will of old people living in severely insanitary conditions, and unable to care for themselves, and have them removed to an appropriate place - usually a hospital or other care facility. This legal device, under the National Assistance Act 1948 (s47), is for competent persons in this situation and only undertaken in rare cases: about 250 per year in the UK. Such persons are often referred to as demonstrating the ‘Diogenes syndrome’.12 Mental health law is not relevant to this sort of case as there is no mental illness: the resistance of an old person to cooperate with health or social care professionals does not fit into any nosological variety of mental illness.
TD: The case of Diogenes Syndrome—deficit or denial?
Published in Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 2018
Fiona Ashworth, Anita Rose, Barbara A. Wilson
Clark, Mankikar, and Gray (1975) first coined the term Diogenes Syndrome (DS), with MacMillan and Shaw (1966) initially describing the cluster of symptoms identified as DS, also known as Senile Squalor Syndrome, in a case series of 76 patients in relation to problems with personal and environmental cleanliness. The cluster of symptoms included the following: extreme self-neglect, excessive hoarding (syllogomania), living in squalor, social withdrawal, and a distinct lack of concern and shame for their residential situation of squalor. The term “Diogenes Syndrome” was given with reference to the reclusiveness and rejection of the outside world by the Greek philosopher Diogenes who advocated principles of self-sufficiency and contentment unrelated to material possessions. He was said to live in a barrel, and some of his ideals were “freedom from emotion,” “lack of shame,” and “contempt for social organisation” (Cipriani, Lucetti, Vedovello, & Nuti, 2012). However, according to Marcos and Gómez-Pellín (2008) Diogenes would never have been diagnosed as having DS as the underlying motivation of the syndrome appears to be a suspicious rejection of the world rather than a desire to be self-sufficient without possessions. Additionally, this principle of lack of possessions does not fit with what is termed “hoarding behaviour” often described to be found in those suffering with the disorder—there is some question that this behaviour is actually passive accumulation rather than actual hoarding.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Rare and Unusual Syndromes
Published in Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 2018
Michael Perdices, Barbara A. Wilson
The case of TD, presented in the paper “TD: The case of Diogenes Syndrome – Deficit or denial?” (pp. 244–258), illustrates the role of and complex interaction between factors that may underlay Diogenes Syndrome: cognitive impairment, awareness and emotional functioning. Diogenes Syndrome, otherwise known as Senile Squalor Syndrome, is characterised by extreme self-neglect, squalor, withdrawal, apathy, compulsive hoarding and lack of shame. It is associated with a range of conditions including frontal lobe dementia and learning disability. The primary question addressed in this paper is to what extent is the man denying his problems and to what extent is there an actual deficit in his ability to experience shame and recognise disgust.