What is kleptomania?

Kleptomania (klep-toe-MAY-nee-uh) is defined as a psychiatric condition whereby the affected individual is unable to inhibit repeated impulses to steel items that are generally not required by the individual. Most of the time, it includes stealing items of little value, which the individual could afford to buy. Kleptomania is rare, but when it occurs it is an extremely serious illness, and without treatment it can lead to a great deal of suffering for the afflicted and his or her family-and even some legal trouble.

People who have kleptomania do not steal because of a lack of willpower, self-control, or character flaw. This is instead a medical condition in which a person cannot resist the urge to steal. Often, people with kleptomania experience guilt, shame, or stress over stealing. Many compensate for this by returning items, donating them to charity, or going back and paying for the items after the fact.

Who does kleptomania affect?

Women and people born female (AFAB) are three times as likely to have kleptomania compared to men and people born male (AMAB). This disorder affects all ages, with cases diagnosed as young as 4 and as old as 77.

What are the symptoms of kleptomania?

The primary symptom of kleptomania is that the individual acts on an uncontrollable compulsion or desire to steal things or objects. That typically involves some or all of the following:

• The items are taken not because they are needed or for their monetary worth.
• A person experiences some tension or anticipation prior to committing the theft and pleasurable, gratifying, or otherwise positive feelings are produced immediately after the theft.
• Once the positive feelings have worn off, most people with kleptomania experience guilt, shame, or remorse.
• Some people discard the stolen goods, give them away, or donate them to charity. Less often, a person will collect stolen goods, secretly return them, or return and pay for them.
• Stealing is impulsive and is done in secret by the person with kleptomania. Most people who are married with kleptomania keep the behavior a secret from their spouse.

What causes kleptomania?

Causes of kleptomania are not known. Many theories have been suggested stating that kleptomania might be due to alterations in the brain, along with the reinforcement of the habits or learned patterns of stealing the items that strengthen the problem in time. Further research will help better understand these probable causes but for now, kleptomania may be linked with:

• A natural occurring brain chemical known as serotonin can be problematic: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and it plays a part in regulating moods and emotions. People who exhibit impulsive behaviors have lower serotonin levels.
• Addiction disorders: Shoplifting releases another neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine induces that pleasure, and some people look for that rewarding feeling again and again.
• The opioid system of the brain: Cravings are controlled by the brain's opioid system. An imbalance in this may make it more difficult to resist cravings.
• Learned habit: Urges are very uncomfortable. Acting on these urges by stealing causes a temporary decrease in distress and relief from these urges. This creates a strong habit that becomes hard to break.

How is kleptomania diagnosed?

There are five criteria that a doctor must identify before the diagnosis of kleptomania:

• Repeated efforts unsuccessfully to refrain from stealing, and the purloined object was not a thing needed by that individual or not needed as something that would be offered as a trade for money.
• Tension or anticipation before the theft event appears to be well-defined.
• Feelingsof pleasure or elation after stealing.
• The act of theft is not the result of an emotional reaction (for example, by one who steals out of anger or for revenge) and is not occurring because of delusion (a firmly held but mistaken idea) or hallucination.
• It isn't a better explanation of the behavior than some other mental health conditions, such as conduct disorder, manic behavior, or antisocial personality disorder.

What tests will be carried out to diagnose kleptomania?

There are no tests of any sort that could possibly diagnose kleptomania. Tests may be recommended to eliminate other causes. Your physician is your best source regarding the recommendation for running tests on your case and why.

How is kleptomania treated?

There is no standard treatment and limited research on effective ways of treating kleptomania. That may partly be because individuals with this disorder rarely do so voluntarily. This makes finding out which treatments work best difficult to research.

 The most likely treatments fall into two main categories:

• Medication: One of the first-line treatments involves medication, specifically opioid antagonists, which would block the effects of opioid medications. There is evidence to support their effectiveness. They block the positive emotions a person has when stealing, which might enable a person to resist the urge to steal. Other possible medications are antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs or lithium.
• Psychotherapy: Also known as mental health therapy or behavioral therapy, this usually involves helping a person understand why they do certain things and then helping them develop ways to change or avoid those behaviors. Psychotherapy for kleptomania can take many forms, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), group therapy or even hypnosis.

What are the complications or side effects of the treatment?

The complications possible with medications depend on many factors, including which medication(s) a person takes. Your doctor is the best source of information about the side effects that are possible or likely for you, and what you can do to prevent or manage them.

How do I take care of myself or manage my symptoms?

Kleptomania is a mental illness that is not always easy to diagnose. It often also occurs in conjunction with other mental illnesses. Some of those other illnesses are serious or raise your risk for suicide or intentional self-harm. For all these reasons, only a qualified and experienced doctor should diagnose and treat kleptomania.

How long after treatment will I feel better?

The time to observe changes in one's behavior or feelings might be variable depending on the medications one takes, the form of therapy attended to, among other variables. Your provider is always the best information source concerning how long one would take to recover and hence when the feelings should begin changing.

What is the prognosis for kleptomania?

Typically, kleptomania is a chronic illness, but individuals can manage these impulses and refrain from shoplifting. Individuals are likely to be able to effectively control these impulses when given treatment and support. The longer the individual goes without treatment, the worse this condition will impact their life.

When to see your doctor?

You should see your doctor if you have a recurring urge to steal that you cannot resist. This is true even if it is a new behavior for you, or if you have deal with it for many years.

You should see your provider after you start treatment if you have any of the following:

• Any new symptoms or changes in your behavior that you cannot explain.
• Side effects of medication that cannot be tolerated or interfere with the routine and activities.
• In case your medication is not acting or its effect wears off over time.

To seek an expert consultation

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com