![]() ![]() ![]() Having another mental illness: People with kleptomania often have another underlying mental illness (bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, eating disorder, etc).Family history: Having a first-degree relative with kleptomania (a mother or sibling), as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder, an alcohol or other substance use disorder, may increase the risk of kleptomania.The associated risk factors are of different types: Approximately two-thirds of people with this disorder are women. Why does kleptomania appear? According to the Mayo Clinic, kleptomania usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood, although it can start later (starting in late or middle adulthood). In other words, the irrepressible impulse evolves over time, and spikes in the disorder may appear that could be linked to the mood or personal situation of the person with kleptomania. The impulse to steal can be more or less intense at one time or another or disappear for seasons. They can also secretly return them to where they were stolen from. On the other, as we said before, the person tends to hide their problem out of fear or shame.Īs a curious fact, many kleptomaniacs even give away the objects they steal to friends or relatives. On the one hand, stolen items are hidden and are never used. There are two types of concealment in kleptomania. That is, they don’t steal for pleasure or necessity or to earn money, but because they feel they can’t avoid it. Items stolen by kleptomaniacs are usually of little value and aren’t needed by the person. There are even those who may steal from the doctor’s office, the dentist, and even from friends or acquaintances. People who suffer from kleptomania usually steal in public places, such as stores or supermarkets. In addition, the person carries them out alone, without help or collaboration from others. That is, they’re not usually premeditated or planned. In this way, kleptomaniacs do it because they feel an irrepressible impulse. In fact, most of what they steal is worthless. The main characteristic of kleptomaniacs that differentiates them from regular shoplifters or shoplifters is that they don’t steal for personal gain. ![]() What are the symptoms of kleptomania? In general, the following appear: Impulse robbery However, this hypothesis hasn’t yet been proven, and it’s currently considered a destructive impulse control and conduct disorder in the DSM-5. It has even been suggested that kleptomania could be a variant of OCD and that it could be classified as an obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder. Therefore, the theft would act as a negative reinforcement, by reducing or eliminating that unpleasant or anxious feeling. Some experts have suggested a link between kleptomania and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as the anxiety felt by these people is relieved by the act of stealing, just as the compulsions of OCD would be. Up to more than 20% of those arrested for shoplifting have this disorder. The actions of these disorders are often excessive or harmful, either to oneself or to others. Therefore, the person with kleptomania feels an irrepressible impulse to steal or great difficulty in resisting that temptation. When we talk about an impulse control disorder, we’re referring to self-control, whether emotional or behavioral. In the DSM-5, kleptomania is considered a “destructive, impulse-control, and conduct disorder,” along with adolescent-onset conduct disorder. At the same time, many people who suffer from kleptomania carry the burden of their problem in secret. In addition, it can also lead to legal consequences. It’s a rare disorder, but it can become serious if it isn’t treated, as it causes emotional distress to the person who suffers from it and to their loved ones. In other words, it’s like an addiction to the act of stealing. Kleptomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by a recurring inability to resist the urge to steal objects that the person doesn’t need or that have no value. What else do we know about the disorder? How does it manifest itself? Why does it appear? And how can it be treated? Find out! What is kleptomania? However, it can be underdiagnosed, as few people go to therapy out of shame and many others are arrested. At the same time, between 4 and 24% of people arrested for shoplifting and department stores suffer from kleptomania. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), its prevalence in the general population is 0.3 to 0.6%. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), kleptomania is the tendency toward pathological theft that consists of a disorder in which one repeatedly fails to resist the impulses to steal objects that aren’t acquired for personal use or for the monetary gain that they entail. ![]()
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