Are you trapped in digital clutter? Find out if you're an electronic hoarder and how to improve it.

One of the most striking features of Diogenes Syndrome (DS), a behavioral disorder characterized by social isolation and neglect of personal hygiene and housecleaning, is the indiscriminate accumulation of objects and, in many cases, large amounts of garbage in the home.

While the name of this syndrome may be considered incorrect—because the Greek philosopher Diogenes of Sinope was not a compulsive hoarder nor did he avoid social company, but rather sought it out daily by attending the Agora—this excessive hoarding behavior can also occur in the digital realm, according to experts.

“In extreme cases, the inability to get rid of irrelevant electronic information, combined with the false sense of security that comes from saving everything 'just in case,' can lead to 'Digital Diogenes Syndrome ' or DDS,” says Elena Luengo, Director of Innovation for the corporate health insurer Cigna Healthcare Spain (CH-E).

He points out that "this phenomenon reflects an excessive emotional or psychological attachment to data, similar to that experienced by people with Diogenes Syndrome regarding their physical belongings."

Attachment or emotional connection to objects can lead to hoarding them due to the false belief that they bring happiness and peace of mind, which can lead to dependency and difficulty getting rid of them, Luengo explains.

“In the digital realm, this attachment manifests itself in the massive retention of images, videos, emails, applications, and documents without a real purpose or utility, often motivated by the fear of losing valuable memories or important information,” he points out.

And "although storing excessive files may seem harmless because it doesn't take up tangible physical space, it can affect mental health," Luengo emphasizes.

“The fear of forgetting significant moments, the idea that an archive might be useful in the future, or the perception that deleting data is equivalent to erasing part of one's history, creates an emotional connection with digital data that can make digital cleanup difficult and generate anxiety, stress, and a feeling of overwhelm,” he explains.

He points out that “ digital attachment often particularly affects people with high levels of anxiety or perfectionism , and in some cases, the accumulation of digital files can also be linked to loneliness or insecurity, functioning as a means of holding on to the past or to relationships that are no longer part of someone's life.”

And in the most extreme cases, this attachment can lead to SdD, he emphasizes.

“Cleaning not only involves putting things in order, but it also provides emotional benefits to many people, helping them manage complex situations, stress, and anxiety, according to mental health specialists at CH-E (www.cignasalud.es), who advise Luengo.

“Just as physical cleaning is a way to regain control over our surroundings and is in our hands, contributing to our well-being, keeping our digital space organized and free of excessive and unnecessary clutter can improve our efficiency and mental clarity and reduce stress, making us feel better,” she says.

Cigna experts offer a series of recommendations to combat digital attachment, eliminate unnecessary files that no longer provide value, and better structure the information on our computers and electronic devices.

The first is to apply the '6-month rule' (if a file hasn't been used in that time, it's probably not needed) and the 'one-touch' method (immediately deciding whether to keep, delete, or store a document or email when you review or receive it).

The second is to focus on the "here and now." Instead of clinging to archives to keep the past alive, CH-E specialists recommend developing a present-centered and accepting mindset, one that involves accepting things as they are and understanding that memories don't depend on being stored or recorded, but rather on lived experience. They explain that meditation and reflective writing can help train the mind to focus on these concepts.

The third is to analyze the emotional impact of the files. Attachment to digital files also depends on the emotional burden they carry, according to CH-E. Therefore, this firm advises "taking a reflective pause to assess which files truly have a positive emotional value and which only generate anxiety or stress, starting by analyzing the content that makes us feel guilty or sad for not having reviewed it, and deciding whether it serves a purpose or we can delete it."

The fourth is to rediscover the value of the tangible. “Printing photographs, keeping paper diaries, or creating physical albums allows us to preserve memories without relying on storing them on electronic devices,” can help us, according to CH-E, because “this approach reduces attachment to digital resources, fosters a stronger emotional connection with important experiences, and offers a sense of permanence by reliving those moments, returning to the physical and tangible.”

“For effective digital decluttering, the ideal is to dedicate 15 to 30 minutes a day, consistently, which will help reduce stress without the process becoming overwhelming,” she notes. She adds that “just like cleaning our homes, the key is to maintain a routine to avoid excessive file accumulation, which can lead to anxiety and overwhelm.”

Luengo advises starting your digital cleanup with the largest and least relevant files, such as videos and audio files; then deleting photos that are no longer important, old emails, or documents you no longer use; and finally, reviewing the usefulness of messages and programs. “It's crucial to follow an order that avoids unnecessary accumulation and prioritizes what truly adds value,” he emphasizes.

“It's advisable to start your digital cleanup with personal or family files, which we tend to accumulate out of fear of losing memories, even though many of them lack a real purpose,” according to Luengo. “By cleaning up those contents first, we'll reduce clutter, gain mental clarity, and find it easier to apply the same cleaning logic to work materials, focusing on what's truly useful for our productivity,” he explains.

For Luengo, we should ask ourselves: "Does this file have value for my present or near future?" If the answer is 'no,' it's most likely no longer useful and it's best to delete it," he notes.

The expert also recommends asking ourselves if a particular file causes us anxiety or connects us to the past in a negative way that doesn't bring us well-being. "In this case, the process of deleting it can be liberating and contribute to our mental health, helping us reduce our emotional burden and focus on the present," she concludes.