Kleptomania - what is it and how to get rid of it

The essence of the disease

So, kleptomania: what is it? Sometimes it can be difficult to understand whether theft is a consequence of conscious antisocial behavior or the result of an illness, and what needs to be applied to the culprit: punishment or treatment for kleptomania.

The urge to steal is called kleptomania. This craving is an uncontrollable act that manifests itself spontaneously. A kleptomaniac steals not for the sake of the stolen thing, but for the sake of the process itself.

The term kliptomania is of Greek origin and consists of 2 words: klepto means to steal; mania - madness.

Patients prone to kleptomania report that they steal under the influence of an unconscious hidden order. They get the impression that someone is directing their actions. This action in case of kleptomania must be secret, then it is especially attractive. A kleptomaniac or kleptomaniac, when they steal, receives pleasure similar to the feeling of a drug addict after a dose of drug. But unlike a drug addict who once voluntarily set foot on the path of illness, a kleptomaniac is someone who initially has an upset psyche and is unable to control his behavior during kleptomania.

Establishing diagnosis

Diagnosing kleptomania has its own characteristics. The specialist must exclude the possibility of other diseases that push the patient to commit certain actions, including theft.

Here are signs to help identify kleptomania

:

• The patient is unable to overcome the impulse to steal an object that is not necessary for him and has no value for him. This condition must occur every time.
• The patient feels increasing psychological pressure before committing theft.
• After committing a theft, a feeling of peace and satisfaction follows.
• The theft is not committed out of a feeling of revenge or hostility, or under the influence of hallucinations or delusions.
• Theft is not associated with conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or bipolar disorder.

Causes of kleptomania in adults

The causes of such a strange mental disorder as kleptomania are not fully understood by scientists and doctors. There is no doubt that this is a reaction of the brain, which manifests itself as a result of disruption of intercellular connections and necrosis of nerve cells. The level of production of serotonin and dopamine, which control mood and feelings of joy, decreases. To achieve the desired joy, the sick brain of a kleptomaniac gives birth to such an unusual urge to steal, called kleptomania.

Disruption of nerve connections in the brain during kleptomania occurs in the following cases:

• excessive use of psychotropic drugs;
• hormonal imbalance at the time of kleptomania;
• the presence of a more complex psychiatric disease in addition to kleptomania (schizophrenia, dementia, epilepsy, hysteria);
• childhood complexes (cruel upbringing with the use of physical and psychological violence) lead to kleptomania.

Changes in hormonal levels in pregnant women, as well as in children during the formation of the endocrine and nervous systems, explain the cases of kleptomania in these categories of patients. The “rampant” hormones can be strong even in the premenstrual period (2-10 days before menstruation) and cause monthly bursts of kleptomania in some women.

Kleptomania as a manifestation of manic-depressive psychosis

In some cases, kleptomania is one of the types of mania characteristic of manic-depressive psychosis. This disease is usually inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Kleptomania is usually transmitted from mother to child. Kleptomania is more common in women. The incidence is 7 cases per 1000 people. Psychosis manifests itself periodically in the form of mania or depression. Between periods of exacerbation of kleptomania, phases of remissions (intermissions) are observed.

The cause of psychosis is a malfunction of the higher emotional centers in the subcortical zone of the brain, a disruption of the processes of inhibition and excitation in the cortex. The provoking role of kleptomania is played by external factors such as a stressful situation, communication with others. Exacerbations of kleptomania can last for weeks, sometimes up to six months.

How to identify a kleptomaniac?

It can sometimes be very difficult to distinguish between a petty thief and a kleptomaniac. Professional thieves know how to pretend to be kleptomaniacs in order to avoid criminal punishment. The determining factor of difference is that a thief steals for the sake of appropriating money or objects, while a kleptomaniac cares about the process and his experiences during the theft.

A person who steals due to mania does not have criminal intent, but commits theft for the release of dopamine, which is a precursor of adrenaline. When the effect of adrenaline ends, kleptomaniacs enter a stage of repentance, discomfort, and remorse. There are cases when kleptomaniacs return to the place of theft to put the stolen things back, or get rid of them by any means.

It is known from criminal practice that in the home of kleptomaniacs you can find a lot of unnecessary things and various trinkets, which indicates that the theft was not committed with malicious intent.

The tendency to kleptomania does not depend on social status and financial security. Among such thieves you can meet quite wealthy people. The age of kleptomaniacs can also be very diverse; young children and pensioners are susceptible to this phenomenon. The tendency to kleptomania can spontaneously fade away for a while and flare up again.

Experts studying kleptomania have identified the following symptoms in adult patients:

• at the initial stage of kleptomania, after the desire to steal, an internal struggle of the kleptomaniac occurs;
• the tension from the desire to steal increases so much that remorse recedes into the background; this feeling in a kleptomaniac is comparable to the urge to urinate and an attack of diarrhea when there is no toilet nearby;
• at the moment of kleptomania, when committing a criminal act, a release occurs in a sensation close to the pre-orgasmic state or urination/defecation after long-term patience, the kleptomaniac experiences mental and physiological satisfaction;
• after the theft, repentance sets in, in extreme cases - horror that the kleptomaniac’s behavior has gotten out of control;
• a kleptomaniac commits theft only alone, without partners;
• the urge to kleptomania occurs after emotional stress, overwork, and other psychological situations;
• in women of childbearing age, an attack of kleptomania may be associated with PMS;

In the symptoms of kleptomania, patterns and individual characteristics of the patient are noted. The experience of tension and release can be very vivid, and the formed mechanism of an attack in a kleptomaniac can be very stable. In other cases, kleptomania is a way to distract oneself from unpleasant emotions and anxieties. The craving for theft in a kleptomaniac occurs periodically; there are long phases of remission of kleptomania.

The difference between a thief and a kleptomaniac

From all that has been said above, it can be understood that kleptomania as a disease has nothing in common with theft as a socially dangerous activity. A thief has material benefits from his activities, while a kleptomaniac does not. A thief is proud of his achievements, while a kleptomaniac feels pleasure only at the moment of committing the theft, and before and after it he experiences tension and remorse. The kleptomaniac regrets what he did, but cannot stop taking other people's things.

Kleptomaniacs experience low self-esteem; They also tend to be alone, which also has a painful effect on their well-being.

It must be said that kleptomania does not depend in any way on the patient’s standard of living. Very often these are people from wealthy families, they have everything so that they do not feel the need to steal at all.

Kleptomania is a mitigating factor during legal proceedings. However, the fact of a mental disorder must be established. The investigator must be alerted to the “non-standard” behavior of the thief (theft of things that have no value, theft of incomplete sets, while the stolen item has no meaning: for example, one shoe, one glove instead of two, a bicycle wheel, etc.).

Kleptomania is a fairly rare disease, but this does not mean that it does not occur in celebrities. Thus, one of the most famous kleptomaniacs is Britney Spears. She mainly steals lighters from gas stations and wigs from sex shops. She was often caught doing this by salespeople; however, they did not dare to hand over the “criminal” to the police, since she was, after all, a celebrity, and the stolen things did not have any significant value. However, sometimes the artist manages to steal something more valuable; once, for example, these were several fur coats, the total cost of which exceeded 28 thousand dollars.

More luxurious items are stolen by Lindsay Lohan. Earrings, necklaces, necklaces - all from the best jewelry companies. This celebrity failed to escape responsibility: in 2011, for another theft, the court sentenced her to a short prison term and correctional labor.

Actor Robert Pattison is very capricious in terms of outfits. During the filming of one film, he rejected the costumes offered to him, then he was allowed to choose clothes to his liking. Not wanting to part with the outfit, he subsequently took it with him from the dressing room.

Kim Kardashian has a habit of talking on other people's phones; then she hides these devices for herself, and if the need comes to give them away, she does it reluctantly. At the same time, she has several of her own phones.

There have been famous kleptomaniacs in history. King Henry IV was known for constantly stealing small items from his courtiers. True, he soon returned the item to the owner, laughing at how cleverly he had tricked him.

There are also kleptomaniacs among Russian celebrities. It is known that Dima Bilan loves to steal lighters. And Nikolai Baskov was once caught stealing tangerines from a hotel.

As already mentioned, kleptomaniacs most often steal things that have no value to them. In this sense, there are quite unusual “exhibits”. One football coach stole... a medical centrifuge to conduct a blood test. He did this “just in case” - in case the device came in handy! In fact, he most likely just liked the process of appropriating someone else's things. By the way, the incident occurred in Russia.

Treatment of kleptomania

Such an unpleasant mental pathology as kleptomania should not be ignored and treated. Kleptomania is treated by psychiatry, not psychology. Treatment programs are constantly adjusted in accordance with medical advances.

The program for a kleptomaniac includes the following components:

• psychotherapeutic sessions and group classes aimed at identifying the underlying causes of kleptomania, getting rid of obsessions, rethinking the life values ​​of a kleptomaniac, building the right lifestyle;
• taking drugs that improve brain function, blood circulation, a psychosomatic state is directed against kleptomania (serotonin reuptake inhibitors, recreational drugs, attacks of kleptomania are well reduced by nalterkone);
• switching the kleptomaniac's attention from kleptomania to other interests and hobbies, filling leisure time with exciting activities, hobbies, sports to change the focus of the kleptomaniac;
• teaching kleptomaniacs techniques that allow them to deal with stress, tune themselves to the joys of every day, and form the motivational-volitional component of the kleptomaniac’s psyche.

A harmonious life full of interesting events is the best recipe for how to get rid of kleptomania.

An important factor is the patient’s voluntary desire to get rid of kleptomania. Forcibly treating kleptomania is less effective. Another important circumstance is the environment of the kleptomaniac. Family members need to consult a specialist to determine whether this form of kleptomania can be treated. It is better to get training on how to behave correctly in these circumstances. The first step to treating kleptomania is recognizing the problem as a disease and ways to overcome it.

Contact a specialist: treatment regimen

Kleptomania must be treated with complex methods. Both psychotherapy and medications are used. At the same time, a single remedy for kleptomania has not yet been developed, and each patient must be approached individually.

Among psychological methods, cognitive-behavioral methods stand out. They allow you to change negative thoughts to brighter, more positive ones. The following method is also used: the specialist puts the patient into a psychological state in which he imagines himself exposed at the time of the theft.

Medicines used include anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers.

When treating kleptomania in children, you should not scold them or accuse them of stealing. The fight against the disease should be done gently, because it is still a disease, and not just a bad character trait. If a child stole a toy, it would be wisest to give him the same one. During treatment, all provoking factors should be eliminated: do not leave money and jewelry in a visible place; provide the child with personal belongings for which he himself is responsible.

When treating kleptomania, much depends on the details of the patient's life; for example, what kind of relationship he has with loved ones.

You can use some relaxation techniques. It is important for the patient to exclude the possibility of getting into stressful situations and maintain sufficient physical activity.

Kleptomania and children

A type of kleptomania is the desire to steal in children. Such cases of kleptomania in wealthy, prosperous families cause shock in parents and a feeling of shame, which forces them to hide the child’s unsightly offenses from others. Parents try to cope with kleptomania on their own, using punishments that can be very harsh.

Lack of knowledge in the field of psychology and psychiatry does not allow parents to understand the true causes of their child’s kleptomania and choose the right tactics and strategy in the fight to eliminate the problem. Many are frightened by the very act of contacting a psychiatrist, which is perceived as a negative stigma for life for the child.

Signs of kleptomania, how to recognize the disease?

Who is a kleptomaniac? This is a well-educated person with good income and no financial difficulties. Nevertheless, this person steals small things from a store or from friends, even if he understands that he will get caught. Kleptomania is a disease, not a banal theft of money. According to statistics, most kleptomaniacs have higher education, wealth, and they have no reason to steal.

▪️Skeptics claim that kleptomania does not exist and this disorder was invented to justify thieves, but this is far from true. The exact reasons why kleptomania develops are unknown, but there are several assumptions.

▪️According to one version, kleptomania manifests itself as a result of an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the human brain. The body lacks the hormone serotonin and compensates for this by increasing the hormone dopamine. Dopamine, in turn, is not produced by itself, and this process is controlled by adrenaline, which kleptomaniacs artificially increase through theft. After all, this is a risk, a danger, and, accordingly, the production of adrenaline, the release of which brings the hormonal levels back to normal.

▪️This is one of the main versions, but it is not the only one. Many people have problems with hormones, but they do not become kleptomaniacs. Kleptomania should not be viewed solely as a symptom of hormonal imbalance. There are other related factors that can trigger the disorder.

Kleptomania in adults

✔️ The craving for theft can arise suddenly. In most cases, kleptomania appears in women aged 30–50 years, during pregnancy, menopause or menstruation.

✔️ Since the exact causes of the disorder have not been identified, one of the possible causes is called endocrine system disorders and nervous tension (stress).

✔️ Attacks may occur rarely, and a person commits petty thefts once a year throughout his life. It's not dangerous until he gets caught.

✔️ In some cases, an adult and responsible person can resist attacks for a long time, but then is forced to commit a whole series of thefts in order to restore his psycho-emotional state and calm down again for a long time.

✔️ In severe cases, kleptomania develops into kleptolagnia, in which the kleptomaniac receives sexual satisfaction from theft. In such cases, he commits thefts at the call of his body, and the diagnosis may be complicated by fetishism.

The passion for kleptolagnia for inanimate objects overpowers moral principles and the kleptomaniac fetishist experiences pleasure, even orgasm, from taking possession of the object of his passion. During an attack, the kleptomaniac loses shame, moral barriers and fear of being caught. This is the most severe form of the disorder and develops from ordinary kleptomania.

Kleptomania in children

✔️ Kleptomania in children occurs due to attention deficit, at the turn of 5–10 years. A dysfunctional family atmosphere can cause kleptomania. And this should not be confused with theft. An outwardly prosperous family, with good material income and status, but a difficult psycho-emotional climate, disrupts the normal formation of the child’s self-control system. Unable to share his experiences with loved ones, the child tries to replace the lost emotions in another way, by stealing. This can be seen as a cry for help from a child who does not know how to express feelings differently, or cannot reach his parents.

✔️ Often parents do not believe if they are told that their child has stolen something, because he already has everything. In such cases, you cannot take the word of only the child or those who caught him. A visit to a child psychologist will clarify the situation and help find a way out of trouble.

Perhaps kleptomania is a genetic disease, and if one of your close relatives suffered from this disorder, then with a high degree of probability it will manifest itself in childhood in his descendants.

✔️ Treatment of kleptomania in school-age children is complicated by the lack of accurate diagnosis. There are some tests that can be used to identify a young kleptomaniac, but a specialist must understand the specifics of the problem. After all, this is not only a social problem, but also a psychological one. Basically, the treatment of kleptomania uses the same approach as the treatment of other impulse disorders.

✔️ Often the child does not realize his problem. At a young age, children still know how to abstract themselves from troubles, and if a child does something bad, he convinces himself that it was not he who did it. Adults may not notice kleptomania in a child for a long time, due to the fact that these thefts occur rarely and in small matters. Who will notice if a keychain or pen is missing? But the child himself feels very bad after the theft. At first it is a feeling of shame, then nervousness, insomnia and decreased self-esteem appear.

✔️ The child is haunted by a constant fear of both physical punishment and verbal reprimand. After all, being a thief is bad? Gradually, the child withdraws from society, he becomes withdrawn, irritable, with frequent periods of depression, followed by hysterical attacks.

✔️ Kleptomania in children requires great attention, and the causes of the disorder should be found to help prescribe adequate treatment.

Reasons for child theft

Parents whose children are hyperactive should pay special attention to their upbringing. Hyperactive children are very excitable and are unable to control their actions. If such kids, in the heat of play, take other people’s toys, this is not always interpreted by experts as kleptomania. But such signs should always be kept under control in the child.

Children's kleptomania can be a manifestation of more serious pathologies (schizopathy, hysteria, epilepsy, mental retardation).

Another set of reasons lies in the costs of raising a child. Psychologists and psychiatrists note that cruel mothers who severely punish their children physically or mentally form complexes and contribute to kleptomania. The child is chronically depressed and feels depressed. His psyche is looking for ways to obtain vivid sensations, to escape from the state of emptiness, at least for a short time. The choice of a criminal act in the form of theft and kleptomania is a subconscious form of protest and revenge in a child.

Parents should take into account that changes in hormonal levels in adolescents and the appearance of premenstrual syndrome in girls can give strange impulses in behavior, manifesting themselves in the most unexpected way in the form of kleptomania.

Tips for parents

The most important advice is to accept the fact that the manifestation of a child’s mental illness may be a consequence of improper behavior of family members. Mom and dad must answer the question: what are we doing wrong, why does the child have kleptomania.

If a child behaves strangely and begins to steal for unknown reasons, then first of all it is necessary to exclude the possibility of more serious mental pathologies in the form of kleptomania. It should also be analyzed whether this is a continuation of a genetic predisposition.

If the reason is a socio-psychological factor, then you need to understand the environment in the family, the child’s school, influence from friends, coach, etc.

Parents need to look for ways to have confidential communication, eliminate pressure, harsh punishments, and any forms of violence in order to avoid kleptomania in the child. It is necessary to find common points, expand them, try to understand the mechanisms that form in the psyche that push the child to strange acts in the form of kleptomania. Parents should take some responsibility for their child's kleptomania and try to objectively assess their mistakes.

Supposed psychological reasons for child theft – kleptomania:

• the rebellious nature of the child, the desire to do everything the other way around;
• lack of attention from parents - with kleptomania, the child tries to attract the attention of elders;
• a child’s way of self-affirmation is an attempt to prove to himself and others his independence and intelligence through daring actions;
• imitating friends or following orders from more strong-willed comrades, the result of communicating with spoiled children leads to kleptomania;
• financial distress of the family, the desire of a child with kleptomania to have what other children have.

In many situations, parents themselves may not be able to cope with the problem of kleptomania. You should not delay a visit to a psychologist or psychotherapist for your child.

The ideal option for curing childhood kleptomania is three-way contact between parents, doctor and child. If there is negative influence from grandparents, mutual understanding should be sought on their part as well. It is also worth observing whether there is pressure from older brothers and sisters; they can exert it on the child in the absence of parents.

Practical advice - in order not to provoke a child’s fragile psyche into kleptomania, it is better to remove valuables and money from his field of vision.

It is necessary to form a negative attitude towards kleptomania in the family by personal example, and not by punishment and orders. If the ban on theft is verbally declared, but dad or mom can bring stolen property from work, then the child has a mental rethink and kleptomania occurs.

How to get rid of kleptomania?

Diagnosis of kleptomania is made only by a qualified psychologist. Often this is an almost forced diagnosis, and people apply for it when a person has already been caught stealing. The difficulty is that thieves pretend to be kleptomaniacs to avoid responsibility, while kleptomaniacs admit that they are thieves. It is easier for them to admit to stealing out of thirst for profit than to admit to a mental disorder.

▪️In fact, among caught shoplifters, less than 5% suffer from kleptomania. Others attribute this diagnosis to themselves, inventing symptoms as they go, and that is why law enforcement agencies do not believe in kleptomania. For them, this is just a way to avoid responsibility.

To establish a diagnosis of Kleptomania, the main symptoms of the disorder must be present:

1. Feelings of anxiety, tension and pressure that motivate you to take action. A kleptomaniac cannot concentrate on anything and only thinks about committing theft.

2. Excitement during theft. The kleptomaniac experiences almost euphoria during the theft process, but only until he leaves the store doors.

3. The theft is committed spontaneously, without the intention of profit. More often it is some small thing like a package of napkins or a pack of cookies. Most likely, a kleptomaniac will not even use it, but will throw it away or give it to someone else.

4. Feeling guilty after theft. The kleptomaniac is ashamed of his act, as a result of which sleep and appetite are disturbed, and nervous tension increases, which again pushes the kleptomaniac to steal.

5. A kleptomaniac always acts alone. He does not plan the theft in advance, and sometimes does not even pay attention to the security camera and security.

6. Theft is never an act of revenge, hostility towards sellers or the owner of the outlet. Also, other mental disorders should be discarded, such as dissocial disorder, in which a person simply rejects the rules of society and the laws of the state.

Most people do not know how to get rid of kleptomania and think that since it is a mental disorder, it means it is incurable. This is not entirely true. Kleptomania can be treated if the problem is approached comprehensively and the patient himself wants to get rid of this addiction. Awareness of the problem and the desire to be cured are the main components of success.

How to get rid of kleptomania for adults?

▪️Kleptomania refers to desire disorders, which implies complex treatment, including both psychotherapy and drug therapy.

▪️It is simply impossible to wean a person from kleptomania. This is a harmless habit, not a character, and the patient himself does not control this process. It is impossible to cope with the disease with words and exhortations alone. A person himself understands that he is doing wrong, and aggravating his suffering with condemnation is a big mistake. And this mistake can be costly if, against the background of remorse and depression, the patient begins independent “treatment” with the help of alcohol or drugs.

Is kleptomania treatable in adults?

Of course. The treatment process is not quick, but for this you do not need to go to a neuropsychiatric dispensary. Of course, if a person has not brought himself to such a state that he requires inpatient treatment. After all, kleptomania is most often observed in hysterical personality types, and this means excessive emotionality, vulnerability, depression and a tendency to suicidal tendencies.

Interesting facts about kleptomania

It is not entirely clear why women are more susceptible to kleptomania. Statistics show that kleptomaniac is 5 times more common among patients with this disease.

The range of things stolen by kleptomaniacs is unusually wide - from chewing gum to a steamship with a carrying capacity of 11 tons. There are known cases of senseless theft of medical equipment due to kleptomania.

The most famous kleptomaniacs:

• the legendary kleptomaniac king Henry IV loved to steal when visiting, and then return the stolen things with laughter, while he felt a sense of peace;
• the most famous case of kleptomania is the American writer Neal Cassady, who stole 500 cars while receiving morbid pleasure;
• Hollywood star Vanona Ryder often forgets to pay for large purchases in stores, which is considered a sign of kleptomania.

Metamorphoses of the human psyche during kleptomania have not yet been fully studied. However, psychiatry and psychology have made significant progress along this path in the study of kleptomania. In many cases, treatment for kleptomania is quite successful.

What is kleptomania

Kleptomania

- This is a painful craving for committing thefts. At the same time, the goal of a kleptomaniac is not to own a stolen item: he only wants to “relieve tension” or enjoy the process itself.

That is why kleptomaniacs are distinguished by strange, at first glance, features of theft: for example, in a shoe store he can only take one shoe, which means that he does not need shoes at all, he just wants to steal something.

Kleptomania is infrequently diagnosed, and the true prevalence of the disease is unknown. After all, many patients do not want to tell the whole truth even to the doctor, so as not to spoil their reputation (especially if these are famous and respected people); kleptomania is also often feigned by real thieves in order to evade criminal liability.

But something was still established. American experts have found that kleptomaniacs make up 5% of shoplifters. And Canadian scientists have found that middle-aged women most often suffer from kleptomania.

Kleptomania is rare in childhood. It happens that children steal other people's things, but this is explained by other reasons: protest behavior, immaturity, immaturity of desires, and shortcomings in upbringing.

Kleptomania was first described in 1816. Then it was considered “monomania” - that’s what they called the patient’s hypothetical obsession with one particular object or action. Since then, the study of the true causes of kleptomania has progressed significantly, but even today scientists do not know everything about it.