When
most of us think of stealing, we think of someone stealing things for financial
gain.But when it comes to kleptomania this could not be further from the truth.
Kleptomania is a rare
but diagnosable serious mental health condition and manifests in the recurring
behaviour of stealing objects that kleptomaniacs don’t really need. These
objects may have little value and they could often easily afford the item if they
had decided to pay . However,it can cause emotional pain for sufferers and
their loved ones,if not treated because sufferers cannot control the compulsion
or urge to steal.
This is unlike most
cases of criminal theft, where items are stolen either out of need or because
they’re very expensive or valuable.
As stealing is also a criminal act, there is a huge stigma
around the condition, which makes it very hard for those experiencing it.
People with kleptomania suffer with anxiety, tension and
arousal ,which leads to feeling pleasure and relief only during the theft. Many
kleptomaniacs also feel guilty or remorseful after the act of stealing is over,
but are later unable to resist the urge.
People with kleptomania also typically steal spontaneously
and alone, while most criminal thefts are planned in advance and may involve
another person.
Unlike criminal theft, the items that people with
kleptomania steal will rarely be used. They’ll likely to collect them , throw
them out, or give them to friends and family.
CAUSES
Kleptomania is a type of impulse control disorder —
a disorder that's characterized by problems with emotional or behavioral
self-control. If you have an impulse control disorder, you have difficulty
resisting the temptation or drive to perform an act that's excessive or harmful
to you or someone else.
Many people with kleptomania live lives of secret
shame because they're afraid to seek mental health treatment.
SYMPTOMS
·
Inability to resist powerful urges to steal
items that you don't need
·
Feeling increased tension, anxiety or arousal
leading up to the theft.
·
Feeling pleasure, relief or gratification while
stealing.
·
Feeling terrible guilt, remorse, self-loathing,
shame or fear of arrest after the theft.
·
Return of the urges and a repetition of the
kleptomania cycle.
TREATMENT
Although fear, humiliation or embarrassment may make it hard to
seek treatment for kleptomania, it's important to get
help.
Kleptomania is an extremely difficult to treat alone, so
getting medical help is a necessity for most who experience it without which it
can be an ongoing,long term condition. Treatment typically involves a
combination of psychotherapy and medications, which can address triggers and
causes.
1. 1) Cognitive behavioral therapy is most commonly
used to treat kleptomania. With this type of treatment, a therapist will help you learn
to stop detrimental behavior and address the cognition that causes them.
In Cognitive Therapy, a therapist
may use:
·
Systematic Desensitization, in which you
practice relaxation techniques to learn to control the urges to steal.
·
Covert Sensitization, in which you imagine
yourself stealing and then facing negative consequences like being arrested.
2. 2) Medications may be prescribed to address related
mood or mental health disorders, like Depression or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
A doctor may prescribe a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor(SSRI) or an Addiction
medication that balances opioids (substances that act on the nervous system to
relieve pain) to balance the brain chemistry that causes the urges to steal.
While kleptomania can’t be cured, it can be
treated. Continual treatment and caution is required to avoid kleptomaniac
relapses. If you’ve been doing well under treatment and start to experience
urges to steal, make an appointment with your therapist or support group as
soon as possible.
SOURCES
Nice Blog Post.
ReplyDeleteThanks For Sharing this informative post.
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