Kleptomania is a long-term yet serious mental illness that makes people feel the urge to steal things that aren’t necessary for their personal or financial needs. It has multiple complex neurological and psychological origins and needs to be addressed by professionals for proper control. 

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Keep reading to learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment for kleptomania. 

What is Kleptomania?

Kleptomania is a known mental condition that makes people feel like they have to steal things over and over again, even if they don’t mean to. The things they steal are usually not worth much money or have any personal meaning to them. 

People with this mental condition know that stealing is wrong and could get them in trouble, but they just cannot hold themselves back from doing it. This kind of state of mind may not be caused by greed, money problems, revenge, or delusions, but by an urge that cannot be stopped. 

People who are affected often feel more and more tense before the act, then feel better, satisfied, or happy afterwards. People may feel guilty, ashamed, and emotionally hurt when their illness gets worse because they can’t help themselves.

What are the Causes of Kleptomania?

There is no known cause of kleptomania, although it is a complex mental condition. It may be caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. Here are the main causes for the disorder:

• Dopamine Involvement: Shoplifting can release dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and reward. This rewards the activity and encourages a cycle of theft.
• Opioid System Dysfunction: If the brain’s opioid system, which governs cravings and pleasure, doesn’t work right, it can make it harder to resist doing things you don’t want to do.
• Learnt Behaviour: The temporary relief or pleasure that comes from stealing could make the behaviour stronger over time, forming a strong habit that’s hard to break.
• Unknown Neurological or Psychological Changes: Brain function problems that impact decision-making and self-control are possible causes, but they are not fully understood.
• Family History: If you have a first-degree family member (parent or sibling) with kleptomania or another addiction or impulse-control issue, your risk goes up.
• Co-Existing Mental Health Disorders: People with kleptomania often also have other mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, or substance use disorders.
• Age and Gender: This illness can start in late adolescence or early adulthood, and about two-thirds of all diagnosed cases are women.
• Underdiagnoses: Most people with kleptomania don’t get diagnosed or treated at all, mainly because they are afraid of getting in trouble with the law or feeling ashamed. This means the disorder is left untreated, and it gets worse over time.

What are the Symptoms of Kleptomania?

Kleptomania is a significant but uncommon impulse control condition in which a person has recurring, strong cravings to steal stuff they don’t need for personal use or to make money. A kleptomaniac person may showcase the following emotional and behavioural symptoms:

• A strong desire to steal things, usually those that are not valuable in money or personal sentiment.
• A feeling of stress, worry, or excitement before stealing.
• After stealing, people may feel guilty, ashamed, regretful, or even hate themselves.
• Pleasure, satisfaction, or relief during or right after the act of stealing.
• Stealing happens on its own and isn’t caused by rage, revenge, hallucinations, or delusions. 
• The stealing cycle starts over again, with the impulse despite past negative sentiments or consequences.
• Fear of getting caught, which can make them bring back stolen things, pay for them later, or give them away.
• Keeping the act of stealing a secret, even from close family members or partners.
• Stealing from stores and other public areas; however, some people may also steal from friends and family at social events.

What is the Diagnosis of Kleptomania?

A psychiatric evaluation that diagnoses impulse control patterns, emotion-provoking events, and a history of behaviour. Doctors may use the DSM-5 criteria, look at other conditions that are also present, and rule out conditions like conduct disorder or antisocial personality disorder.

Questionnaires, self-report scales, and interviews help show how often and how much the act of stealing happens. You can rule out medical or drug-related causes by getting a physical checkup or a medical test.

What is the Treatment of Kleptomania?

Usually, the best way to treat kleptomania is with a mix of medicine and therapy, such as:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Helps people figure out and change the ways they think that make them steal. Some of the methods used are covert sensitisation, systematic desensitisation, and aversion therapy.
• Medications: SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) and naltrexone (a medicine that helps people with addiction) can help stop the desires and pleasure that come with stealing.
• Support Groups: Joining a group, like those run by Kleptomaniacs Anonymous, can help you get through tough times with the help of other people who are going through the same thing.
• Dual Diagnosis Approach: Treating anxiety, depression, or substance misuse along with other conditions makes treatment more effective.
• Lifestyle Changes: Lifestyle modifications such as reducing stress, preparing better, and getting the whole family involved can also help with recovery.

What are the Complications of Kleptomania?

These are the complications that come with kleptomania:

• Impulse-control disorders, such as gambling or spending too much
• Using drugs or alcohol too much
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders of eating
• Sadness
• Bipolar disorder
• Anxiety issues
• Suicidal thoughts and actions

FAQs About Kleptomania

1. How do you treat kleptomania?

People with kleptomania usually get better with therapy and medication, or both, and sometimes they join self-help groups.

2. How long does it take for kleptomania to go away?

Once someone has kleptomania, it usually lasts for the rest of their lives. People with this problem often go through times when they really want to steal and times when they don’t.

3. Is trauma what makes people kleptomaniac?

Kleptomania is caused by a mix of genetic factors, physiological problems, and mental health concerns like anxiety or mood disorders. Stress and traumatic events in life can make the condition worse, making the urge to steal stronger.

4. What kinds of kleptomania are there?

The DSM-IV-TR lists 3 types of kleptomania: sporadic stealing, which happens in short bursts and extended absences; episodic stealing, which happens for long periods of time and then stops; and chronic stealing, which happens all the time at different levels.

5. What is the prognosis for kleptomania?

Kleptomania is usually a long-term problem, but some people may manage their urges and stop stealing. When treated and supported correctly, it is highly likely that these impulses can be controlled. The longer someone goes without treatment, the worse this illness will be for their life.

Conclusion

Kleptomania is a complicated mental condition that needs to be understood with compassion, diagnosed correctly, and treated in a way that is fair. DocTutorials offers extensive, high-yielding study materials for NEET PG preparation for medical students who want to learn more about these complex psychiatric issues.

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