Psychology Facts

▲ Kleptomania ▲

》 Kleptomania is a mental health condition where a person feels an overpowering, irresistible urge to steal things. People who have this disorder know that stealing is wrong and could get them into trouble, but they can't stop themselves. Experts classify kleptomania as an impulse control disorder.

》People who have kleptomania don't steal because of a lack of willpower, self-control or a character flaw. Instead, this is a medical condition where a person doesn't have the ability to resist the impulse to steal.

》It's common for people with kleptomania to feel guilt, shame or stress about stealing. Many try to compensate for this by returning items, donating them to charity, or going back and paying for the items after the fact.

》The main symptom of kleptomania is that a person acts on an irresistible urge or need to steal items or objects. That often involves one or more of the following:

The items aren't stolen out of necessity or for their value.

A person feels tension or anticipation before stealing, followed by pleasure, relief or other positive emotions immediately afterward.

Once the positive emotions fade, most people with kleptomania feel guilt, shame or regret.

Some people throw stolen items away, give them to others or donate them to charity. Less commonly, a person will hoard stolen items, secretly return them or return and pay for them.

Stealing isn't planned, and a person with kleptomania does it alone. Most people who are married with kleptomania keep it a secret from their spouse.

》Experts don't know why kleptomania happens. However, there's evidence that points to some possible causes.

Differences in brain structure.
People with kleptomania are more likely to have certain differences in the structure of their brains, especially in areas that manage impulse control and inhibitions. These differences might indicate weaker or fewer connections in their brain areas that control inhibition.

Differences in brain chemistry.
Your brain uses specialized chemicals known as neurotransmitters to communicate and manage certain processes. There are cases where people developed kleptomania after they began taking medications that affect neurotransmitter their brain's neurotransmitters. However, these cases are rare, and more study is necessary to know why this happens.

As a symptom of other mental health conditions.
Some experts classify kleptomania as a symptom, not a condition. It's extremely common for people with kleptomania to have other mental health issues, especially anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addictions and substance use disorders. They also have a higher risk of self-harm and suicide.

Genetics.
Experts don't know if a person can inherit kleptomania or if a family history raises your risk of having it. While people with kleptomania often have a family history of other mental health conditions — especially anxiety, mood and substance use disorders — there's no firm evidence that it's genetic.

》According to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition-TR, there are five criteria that a person must meet for a healthcare provider to diagnose kleptomania:

Repeated unsuccessful attempts to not steal, and the stolen items weren't taken because a person needed them or needed something valuable to trade or exchange for money.

Feeling tension or anticipation before stealing.
Feeling positive emotions (such as relief or pleasure) or feeling "high" immediately after stealing.

The act of stealing isn't an emotional response (done out of anger or for revenge) and isn't happening because of a delusion (a strongly held false belief) or a hallucination.

Another mental health condition, such as conduct disorder, manic behavior or antisocial personality disorder, isn't a better explanation for the behavior.

》Kleptomania is uncommon. Experts estimate that it affects between 0.3% and 0.6% of the U.S. population. People with kleptomania make up between 4% and 5% of people arrested for shoplifting.

》The disorder is three times more prevalent in women than in men. People with kleptomania generally act alone without help.

》There's no standard way to treat kleptomania, and there's limited research on which treatments work best. That's partly because people with kleptomania rarely seek care on their own, which means it's harder to research possible treatments.

The most likely treatments fall into two main categories:

Medication

Psychotherapy