Kleptomania Disorder

Abstract

This research paper will show the conditions, symptoms, and treatments for the DSM-IV disorder kleptomania. Kleptomania is the impulse to steal objects that provide no monetary, or use to the sufferer. Kleptomania is very rare and is frequently confused with other disorders. Sufferers of kleptomania can be helped by some anti-depressant drugs and physiotherapy. People diagnosed with kleptomania are not protected from law enforcement, so treatment and awareness of the disorder must be put into immediate effect.

Kleptomania Symptoms

According to the DSM - IV, kleptomaniacs can be defined by five diagnostic criteria. They are people who impulsively and repeatable steal objects of no material value or use to themselves. The theft is not provoked out of anger or retribution. The kleptomaniac will feel a moment of tension right before the theft occurs. A feeling of pleasure or relief will immediately follow the theft. People suffering from kleptomania will repeatedly steal these items and it is not caused by either an anti-social or conduct disorder, or a manic episode. The episode can not caused by either hallucination or delusions.

Description

Kleptomania is an extremely rare disorder, prevalence for which is only six percent. Kleptomaniacs repeatedly steal items they do not need or could readily buy for themselves. The theft of the object is not for their personal use or for monetary value. Many times the person will try and return the item to wherever it was stolen from to ease the feeling of guilt they have over stealing it or they may instead hoard the stolen items and keep the thefts secret from even their significant others. The thefts performed by a kleptomaniac are not usually preplanned or even thought of in advance. Many times the sufferer will not even know they have stolen the item until after they have committed the theft. Items stolen can range from almost anything but is usually something as simple as a pen or a paperclip. Sufferers have been observed stealing the same objects or even having an unconscious preference for the place to steal an object from. Studies have shown that kleptomaniacs can be surprised that they have stolen an object at all. Kleptomaniacs can and usually do have periods where no theft occurs at all. This could go on for months or years with no incident of theft. The sufferer can also go through periods where they are frequently stealing items. Kleptomaniacs will avoid stealing from somewhere that they will be immediately arrested, but do not consciously think about being apprehended from their actions until after the theft has occurred. Being arrested will not cure the person of kleptomania. Even with several convictions a person suffering from kleptomania will continue to shoplift. In all cases the theft of the object does not require help from another.

Misdiagnosed

Most people believed to be kleptomaniacs have an addictive-compulsive stealing disorder. These are two very different disorders, but can be very difficult to differentiate between them. A person who steals the item they don't need, but still uses it can be classified as addictive-compulsive. A kleptomaniac does not steal in order to gain vengeance against the owner of the object, while a person with addictive-compulsive stealing will steal the item and believe that they deserve it or have a right to it. Stealing is punishable by law in both the US and the UK. Neither court system sees kleptomania as anything other than shoplifting and is not a valid affirmative defense. Less than 5% of shoplifters qualify for kleptomania.

Doctors will have a very difficult time in making accurate diagnoses for this disorder. The doctor will have to make sure that the person accused of the theft is not in actuality just performing an ordinary criminal act and trying to get away with it by claiming kleptomania. The symptoms of kleptomania are also similar, and in some case the same, to Bipolar Mood Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Antisocial Personality Disorder. Being diagnosed with any of those would disqualify the person for kleptomania.

Type of People Diagnosed

Kleptomania is normally diagnosed later on in life. The average age of a person with kleptomania is 35 years old, although there have been cases of as early as 5. Statistics have shown that females are more probable to be a kleptomaniac than males. This is believed to be due to a chemical imbalance in the sufferers system, usually