(") is an inability or great difficulty in resisting impulses of stealing.
A person with this disorder is compelled to steal things, generally things of little or no value, such as
Pens ,
Paper Clips , small
Toy s, or packets of
Sugar . Some may not be aware that they have committed the theft until later. The majority of kleptomaniacs sometimes have preferences to certain
Items (again, usually subconsciously); for example,
Batteries or television remote controls.
Kleptomania is distinguished from
Shoplift ing or ordinary
Theft , as shoplifters and thieves generally steal for monetary value, or associated gains and usually display intent or premeditation, while people with kleptomania are not necessarily contemplating the value of the items they steal or even the theft until they are compulsed.
Although a kleptomaniac may steal uncontrollably without realization,
Judicial Court s in the
United Kingdom and
United States generally do not accept kleptomania as an
Affirmative Defense .
People with this disorder are likely to have a
Comorbid condition, specifically
Paranoid ,
Schizoid or
Borderline Personality Disorder .
1 Kleptomania can occur after
Traumatic Brain Injury and
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning .
23 Full text available.
Kleptomania is usually thought of as part of the obsessive compulsive disorder spectrum, although emerging evidence suggests that it may be more similar to
Addictive and
Mood Disorders . In particular, this disorder is frequently co-morbid with substance use disorders, and it is common for individuals with kleptomania to have first-degree relatives who suffer from a substance use disorder.
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The
DSM-IV-TR lists the following five criteria for kleptomania:
- Recurrent failure to resist impulses to steal objects that are not needed for personal use or for their monetary value.
- Increasing sense of tension immediately before committing the theft.
- Pleasure, gratification, or relief at the time of committing the theft.
Kleptomania has several different treatments.
Cognitive-behavioral Therapy is recommended as an
Adjuvant to medication.
Some medications that are used for people diagnosed with kleptomania are significantly reduced the intensity of urges to steal, stealing thoughts and stealing behavior.
5 A similar three year follow-up of patients treated only with naltrexone showed a clinically significant reduction in kleptomanic behavior.
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Kleptomania is often thought of being a part of obsessive compulsive disorder, since the irresisteible and uncontrollable actions are similar to the frequently excessive, unnecessary and unwanted rituals of OCD. Some individuals with kleptomania demonstrate hoarding symptoms that resemble those with OCD.
7.
Prevalence rates between the two disorders do not demonstrate a strong relationship. Studies examing the comorbidity of OCD in subjects with kleptomania have inconsistent results, with some showing a relatively high co-occurrence (45%-60%)
89 while others demonstrate low rates (0%-6.5%).
10 Full text available 11 Similarly, when rates of kleptomania have been examined in subjects with OCD, a relatively low co-occurrence was found(2.2%-5.9%).Fontenelle LF, Mendlowicz MV, Versiani M, (2005) Impulse control disorders in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. ''Psychiatr Clin Neurosci''. 59:30-37.
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