Question:- Define Kleptomania. What are the characteristics of a kleptomaniac?
What are
the possible treatments for kleptomania?
Define Kleptomania
Kleptomania is a disease, which forces an individual to steal items from others without
the motivation of any financial gain or for personal use. The disease was first described in the
year 1816 kleptomania is classified in psychiatry as an impulse control disorder. There is a
difference between ordinary theft and (whether planned or impulsive) is deliberate and is
motivated by the usefulness of the object or its monetary value. On the other hand, with
kleptomania the re is the recurrent failure to resist impulses to steal items even though the items
are not needed for personal use or for their personal use. The disease is frequently under
diagnosed and is regularly associated with other psychiatric disorders particularly anxiety and
eating disorders and alcohol and substance abuse.
What are the characteristics of a kleptomaniac?
Some of the main characteristics of the disorder suggests that kleptomaniacs are
obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder and share similarities with addictive and mood
disorders. The patients of kleptomania show anxiety and often used to consume alcohol. They
used to give abusive words and become very violent if some one try to give them any
suggestions. The patients also have great level of stress guilt and remorse and privacy issues
accompanying the act of stealing. The patients always try to steal some thing and they feel
pleasure by doing that. They can steal any thing, that is, from very common things to very
precious metals and other items. They like to irritate their family member by stealing any
important thing that may be essential for his or her family. These symptoms suggest that
kleptomania could be regarded as an obsessive-compulsive type of disorder.
People diagnosed with kleptomania often have other type of disorders involving mood
anxiety eating impulse control and drug use. They used to steal money may be to buy alcohol or
drugs. The characteristics of the behaviors associated with stealing could result in other problems
as well which include they may be separated from the society and substance abuse.
The kleptomaniacs used to steal to fill an emotional or physical void in their lives.
Stealing may be caused by jealousy, low self-esteem or peer pressure. Social feeling excluded or
overlooked can also cause stealing. The cause of kleptomania is unknown although it may have a
generic component and may be transmitted among first degree relative. There also seems to be a
strong propensity for kleptomania to coexist with obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia
nervosa and clinical depression.
Kleptomania is the inability to refrain from the urge of stealing items and is usually done
for reasons other than personal use or financial gain. It is for the nervous disorder that the patient
feels that any hoe he or she should steal some items from anywhere and that stealing give them
pleasure.
People suffering from kleptomania typically exhibit these features or characteristics
Unlike typical thieves, people with kleptomania do not compulsively steal for personal
gain, on a dare for revenge or out of rebellion. They steal simply because the urge is so powerful
that they can not stop themselves from stealing.
Episodes of kleptomania generally occur spontaneously, usually without planning and
without help or collaboration from another person.
Most people with kleptomania steal from public places such as stores and supermarkets.
Some may steal from friends or acquaintances.
Often it is found that the items stolen by kleptomaniacs are of no value to the person with
kleptomania and the person can afford to buy that by its own.
The stolen items are usually stashed away never to be used. Items may not be donated
given away to family or friends or even secretly returned to the place from which they were
stolen.
Urges to steal may come and go or may occur with greater or lesser intensity over the course of
time .
The other characteristics of the kleptomaniac patient are stated below
Other impulse control disorder, such as compulsive gambling or shopping
Alcohol and substance misuse
Personality disorders
Eating disorders
Depression
Bipolar disorder
Anxiety
Suicidal thoughts suicides attempts and commit suicide.
What are the possible treatments for kleptomania?
It is found that due to fear and embarrassment people odes not want to make proper
treatment of kleptomania but its very important to take proper treatment for kleptomania.
Without proper treatment, kleptomania may become long-term and ongoing diseases.
Medication and psychotherapy are the main treatment for kleptomania in the modern
days doctors also use some advanced medicines to prevent kleptomania. However there is no
standard treatment for kleptomania and researchers are still trying to find out the correct method
for treating kleptomania.
Medication
There are little scientific research about using psychiatric medications to treat
kleptomania. There is no FDA approved medication for kleptomania. However certain
medications may help depending on the condition of the patient and whether the patient have
other mental health disorders such as depression or substance misuse.
The doctor may consider the prescribing
An addiction medication called naltrexone an opioid antagonist which may reduce the urges and
pleasure associated with stealing.
An antidepressant specifically a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
Other medication or a combination of medications
If the doctor prescribes medication then the patient should ask the doctor about the potential side
effects or possible interactions with any other medication.
Psychotherapy
A form of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy helps the patient to identify
the unhealthy negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy positive thoughts.
Cognitive behavioral therapy may include this technique to help the patient to control
kleptomania urges.
Covert sensitization in which the patient picture himself stealing and then facing negative
consequences such as being caught.
Aversion therapy, in this kind of therapy the patient practice mildly painful techniques
such as holding the breath until the patient feel uncomfortable. This method the patient should
apply when he or she feel the urge of stealing.
Systematic desensitization in this kind od therapy the patient practice relaxation
technique and picture himself controlling urges for stealing.
