![]() Experiencing relief, gratification or pleasure during theft.Increase in tension in the moments leading to the act of stealing.Inability to resist impulses to sneak objects that are unnecessary for personal use or not of any monetary value.Kleptomania being a type of impulse disorder, its diagnosis involves asking patients about the feelings and sensations leading up to the theft and after it.Īccording to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), an individual must conform to certain criteria to be diagnosed with this condition. The detection is mainly done on the basis of the signs and symptoms observe in patients. The diagnosis of this disorder does not involve any laboratory tests or examinations. A physical examination can help physicians evaluate whether there is a physical cause that works as a trigger factor for the disease. It is necessary to conduct a psychological and physical evaluation to confirm the presence of this disease. It can also arise after an individual suffers from an injury in the head. The disorder may also be associated to addictive ailments. It is this chemical that gives rise to pleasurable feelings in humans. The condition may also arise due to the release of another neurotransmitter called Dopamine. A deficiency of this neurotransmitter is found to be a common problem in individuals susceptible to impulse disorders. It is this chemical that helps regulate emotions and moods in humans. The disorder is possibly associated with a neurotransmitter (chemical in the brain) called Serotonin that occurs naturally. Various theories associate the condition with changes in the brain. The exact cause of this disorder is not known as yet. They are often found to keep these items away and not use the belongings. Generally, patients are not found to have any sentimental attachment to their stolen goods. Some are also found to return these to their original places after sometime. Generally, such individuals stash away the stolen items into some secret place, such as a personal trunk, box or safe. Sufferers tend to steal from friends, family members, acquaintances or even public places such as supermarkets and stores. This establishes the fact that the action is impulsive and cannot be called a crime. Patients of this disease are found to steal spontaneously without any planning from before. It is this urge that makes them suffer from anxiety until they steal and suffer from guilt afterwards. The reason for their stealing is an urge that is too powerful for them to resist. Nor do they have an inclination to exact revenge on revenge they steal from. Unlike thieves, Kleptomaniacs do not steal for any personal gain. Experiencing immense shame or guilt after committing the theft.Experiencing a feeling of gratification or pleasure while sneaking.Increase in tension until the theft is committed.Irresistible urge to sneak items belonging to others but unnecessary to the stealer.The disease is typically characterized by the following signs and symptoms: The conclusion of the case saw the disease being officially recognized as a valid mental condition. It happened due to the wide media coverage received by the famous State of California vs. The condition was officially acknowledged as a disease for the first time in the U.S in the 1960s. ![]() Other studies have linked the disease to 65% patients with bulimia. The disease has also been found to arise in as many as 7% people with a history of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Females are found to be the common sufferers of this condition. ![]() Kleptomania IncidenceĪccording to medical studies, 0.6% of the common population has been found to suffer from this disorder. The name of this condition comes from a fusion of the Greek word, “kleptein” meaning “to steal” and the English term “mania” which stands for an irresistible although irrational motive. ![]() Rather, it comes from an irresistible urge that is seen as a mental problem. Such slipping away of personal belongings is not guided by an economical motive. It is an impulse disorder characterized by a persistent neurotic desire to steal small items of other people. ![]()
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