It is common to see depictions in soap operas and movies with kleptomaniac characters who steal for pleasure. However, what these stories do not tell is that In this context, it goes far beyond the thrill-driven addiction of stealing without being caught.

Kleptomania is a rare behavioral disorder in which a person has difficulty resisting the urge to commit a harmful act, is considered a disorder of emotional self-control in which the impulse is so powerful that it is impossible to resist.

All mental disorders are difficult to understand, especially if it is as rare and complicated as kleptomania. If you suspect you may suffer from this disorder and are looking for more information, know that there are effective ways through psychotherapy to help you live with the problem without further harm.

However, if you suspect that a close person has kleptomania, inform yourself to avoid judgment. It is important to be understanding with the other person when offering help.

Understand more about kleptomania and signs of this disease!

What is kleptomania?

Kleptomania is a mental disorder that has no cure The sufferer him/herself can realize the diagnosis and seek help.

It is not yet known what can cause this problem, but like all other disorders it is possible that the cause runs in families. This is especially so if there are other members with mental or impulse disorder problems.

The kleptomaniac feels an irresistible urge to steal objects, usually of small value. However, this is a behavior that can cause problems in the family and in the work environment.

Although there is no cure, the person learns with the help of psychotherapy and some medicines to live with this disorder, without harming other aspects of life.

Therapies

Among the therapies indicated for kleptomania are cognitive therapy , behavioral , systematic desensitization , aversion therapy e secret awareness .

• Cognitive therapy works on replacing negative and distorted thoughts with positive ones. With respect to the goal of replacing harmful behavior with good behavior.
• As for behavioral therapy is essential.
• On the other hand systematic desensitization helps in overcoming fears and traumas with gradual exposure to them.
• Moreover, what works for many people is aversion therapy. In it, the kleptomaniac uses painful practices to curb the urge to steal, and this practice must be defined together with the psychotherapist.
• At secret awareness In this context, situations such as being caught in the act or being humiliated in public are addressed.

Causes of kleptomania

It is a rare and little known disease, but there are some hypotheses of its cause. One of them is the change in serotonin levels, When serotonin is low, the person becomes more impulsive.

Low dopamine, a hormone linked to pleasure, can also be a cause. When stealing, the kleptomaniac feels pleasure and therefore releases dopamine, so the act of stealing may be the body's way of increasing levels of the hormone dopamine.

Each case is individual, therefore only a psychiatrist and psychotherapist can help identify the source and work on it.

Risk Factors

As well as depression and other more common mental disorders, kleptomania is more likely to appear in people who:

• have relatives with an obsessive compulsive disorder;
• who have relatives with a behavioral disorder;
• have another mental disorder, that makes kleptomania more likely to develop .

Age is not a risk factor In terms of gender, women are the majority among those diagnosed with kleptomania .

5 Signs to identify kleptomania

Not resisting the urge to steal objects

Just thinking about stealing does not characterize a kleptomaniac. A person with this disorder simply cannot resist the impulse to steal things that are unnecessary to his or her life. This means that the person steals things that make no difference to him or her. In this context, she does not steal for money or status, but because she could not resist the urge.

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Read Also: After all, what is Asperger's Syndrome?

Spontaneous robberies

Unlike "conventional" thieves, kleptomaniacs do not plan their thefts They only happen when there is an impulse, so powerful that it is impossible to resist. So, because there is no planning, but impulse, thefts can get kleptomaniacs into serious trouble. This is harmful behavior in the labor market and in living together in society.

Most kleptomaniacs end up stealing in public places, such as stores and supermarkets. They may even have the money to buy the items, but act on impulse.

Growing collection of stolen items

Since the kleptomaniac does not steal for personal gain, the items he steals are usually unusable in his life. Since he simply has no interest in using them, end up keeping more and more stolen objects.

Those who choose not to keep it, donate it or give it as a gift. However, rarely use for personal purposes .

Tension, anxiety, pleasure and guilt

Having kleptomania is a sea of emotions. The tension leading up to the theft is very strong, which makes the person extremely anxious the moment the impulse arises. During the act, there is a feeling of pleasure and excitement for giving in to your impulses. However, then comes guilt and remorse for knowing that the act you committed was not right.

Some kleptomaniacs, because of their condition, also develop depression.

Facing the consequences of a theft and repeating it anyway

A punishment is not enough to restrain the strong impulse of a kleptomaniac. If you commit a caught stealing, with consequences, and the urge to steal comes up again at another time, watch out. This is a big sign that you should seek help.

Living with Kleptomania

With the help of qualified professionals, dealing with the control of your impulses is not such a complicated task. At least not as much as trying to deal with it alone. At first, resisting such a powerful impulse seems impossible and painful. However, over time, the kleptomaniac learns to deal with this feeling until it becomes a habit to resist the impulse.

The disorder has no cure, but many diagnosed people live perfectly well after a period of treatment. The most important thing of all is not to judge yourself and to understand that it is okay to ask for help.

Mental disorders cannot be a taboo, because kleptomania, like many other illnesses, also lead to disorders such as anxiety and depression. Such disorders, in turn, can also lead to suicide.

Seek help as soon as you identify a possible mental disorder, don't try to deal with it alone. Talk to a psychoanalyst!

Get to know our psychoanalysis course

However, if you are just interested in the subject, consider taking our fully online psychoanalysis course, where you will find out how to deal with people suffering from disorders such as kleptomania and how to help them in an effective and professional manner.

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