Kleptomania appears to be more common in females than males. Kleptomania may result in or be associated with: Kleptomania may be associated with other disorders such as mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders (particularly Bulimia Nervosa) and personality disorders. Left untreated, the disorder can cause legal, family, career and personal difficulties. The person frequently fears being arrested and often feels depressed or guilty about the thefts. Individuals with Kleptomania experience the impulse to steal as ego-dystonic (unacceptable to the person’s ideal conception of self) and are aware that the act is wrong and senseless. Of course this is not as easy as one thinks (see ‘Kleptomania as a Legal Defence’ below). Sometimes individuals will try to simulate the symptoms of Kleptomania to avoid criminal prosecution. Note: Kleptomania should be distinguished from inadvertent stealing that may occur as a result of dementia (forgetfulness and cognitive decline). Kleptomania is exceedingly rare, whereas shoplifting is relatively common. People with Kleptomania do not target a particular individual or a shop for a specific reason. They do not steal for personal gain, but because they find it almost impossible to control their urge. One of the symptoms of Kleptomania that differentiates it from shoplifting is the fact that people suffering from Kleptomania do not hold a grudge against the person from whom they are stealing. Some individuals, especially adolescents may steal as a dare, as an act of rebellion, or as a rite of passage. Ordinary theft (whether planned or impulsive) is deliberate and is motivated by the usefulness of the object or its monetary worth. Kleptomania should be distinguished from ordinary acts of theft or shoplifting. How Does Kleptomania Differ From Shoplifting? The stealing is done without assistance from, or collaboration with, others. in full view of a police officer), they usually do not pre-plan the thefts or fully take into account the chances of arrest. Occasionally the individual may hoard the stolen objects or surreptitiously return them.Īlthough individuals with this disorder will generally avoid stealing when immediate arrest is probable (e.g. The objects are stolen despite the fact that they are typically of little value to the individual, who could have afforded to pay for them, and who often gives them away or discards them. The stealing is not better accounted for by Conduct Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder or a Manic Episode. It is also not done in response to a delusion (false belief) or hallucination (false sensory experience). The stealing is not committed to express anger or vengeance. The individual experiences a rising sense of tension before the theft and feels pleasure, gratification, or relief when committing the theft. Kleptomania (Klep-toe-MAY-knee-uh) is a well-known impulse-control disorder characterised by the recurrent failure to resist impulses to steal items even though the items are not needed for personal use or for their monetary value.
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