Kleptomania

You don't need that thing, and you can afford to buy it, but you can't help yourself:
You just take it. Kleptomaniacs compulsively steal items that are not needed or have
little monetary value and experience pleasure or relief as a result.

Definition
Kleptomania is a condition in which an individual experiences a consistent impulse to
steal items not needed for personal use or monetary value. The objects are stolen
despite typically being of little value to the individual and are often given away or
discarded after being taken.

Kleptomania involves experiencing tension before the theft and feelings of pleasure,
gratification, or relief when committing the theft. The stealing is not done to express
anger or vengeance or in response to a delusion or hallucination and is not
attributable to conduct disorder, a manic episode, or antisocial personality disorder.

Occasionally the individual may hoard the stolen objects or surreptitiously return
them. Although someone with this disorder will generally avoid stealing when
immediate arrest is probable (such as in full view of a police officer), they usually do
not plan the thefts or fully take into account the chances of apprehension. People
with kleptomania commonly feel depressed or guilty about the thefts after they occur.

Kleptomania is relatively rare in the general population, with about 0.3 to 0.6 percent
of people experiencing this condition.

Symptoms
People with kleptomania have an irresistible impulse to steal. These episodes of
stealing occur unexpectedly, without planning. Often they throw away the stolen
goods, as they are mostly interested in the act of stealing itself. Kleptomania is
distinguished from shoplifting because shoplifters plan the stealing of objects and
usually steal because they do not have money to purchase the items. Signs of
kleptomania include:

Recurrent failure to resist stealing impulses unrelated to personal use or

financial need
Feeling increased tension right before the theft
Feeling pleasure, gratification, or relief at the time of the theft
Thefts are not committed in response to delusions, hallucinations or as
expressions of revenge or anger
 Thefts cannot be better explained by Antisocial Personality Disorder, Conduct
Disorder or a Manic Episode
The age of onset for kleptomania is variable. It can begin in childhood, adolescence,
or adulthood and in rare cases, late adulthood.

Causes
Kleptomania is rare overall, but more common in females than in males. People with
kleptomania often have another psychiatric disorder, such as depressive and bipolar
disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, substance
abuse disorders, and other impulse-control disorders. There is evidence linking
kleptomania with the neurotransmitter pathways in the brain associated with
behavioral addictions, including those associated with the serotonin, dopamine, and
opioid systems.

Some clinicians view kleptomania as part of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum of

disorders, reasoning that many individuals experience the impulse to steal as an
alien, unwanted intrusion into their mental state. Also, other evidence indicates that
kleptomania may be related to, or a variant of, mood disorders such as depression.

Treatments
The treatment for kleptomania may include a combination of psychopharmacology
and psychotherapy.

Psychological counseling or therapy

Counseling or therapy may be in a group or one-on-one setting. It is usually aimed at

dealing with underlying psychological problems that may be contributing to
kleptomania. Possible treatments include:

Behavior modification therapy

Family therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Psychodynamic therapy
Medications used for treatment

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which raise serotonin levels in the
brain:

Fluoxetine (Prozac), most commonly used

 Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
Paroxetine (Paxil)
Sertraline (Zoloft)

Kleptomania Case Study Writing

Prompts
An interesting case study paper topic is Kleptomania. If you don't know what that is:
kleptomania
noun
noun: kleptomania
1. a recurrent urge to steal, typically without regard for need or profit.

There is a debate amongst physiologists and criminologists whether or not kleptomania is a legitimate
condition. Many experts in the feel believe that it is compulsive while some other argue that it is controllable
and people "choose to steal" when they suffer from kleptomania. However, often in court lawyers will claim
kleptomania is a medical condition that can't be helped in order to get their clients off on charges. What do you
think about kleptomania, real or phony baloney?

How To Approach A Case Study On Kleptomania

Before you sit down to write your case study on kleptomania consider carefully the different perspectives and
research on the topic. Like with a case study assignment you need to look critically at both sides before
determining your thesis. Remember, however that with case study your responsibility is presents the "best
evidence" that defends your opinion using a specific instance. For example, who are some famous
kleptomaniacs, can you access documents on their case files that help you to write a great case study on the
condition?
In order to make the process a little bit easier we have included some kleptomania writing prompts for you to
consider:

Is kleptomania compulsive or Not? A look at famous cases and their rulings.

Should there be more support for kleptomania? Case study of current available support groups and help for
kleptomaniacs.
Is kleptomania a learnt tendency or is it genetic? Case Study examining kleptomania in families.
How do psychiatrists diagnosis kleptomania? A Case Study of specific diagnostic procedure.
Getting away with kleptomania, Case Study of Thieves and how they go without depiction,
Alternative treatments for kleptomania do they work? Case study on new research and treatment of
kleptomania symptoms.

Once you have decided to write your paper on the kleptomania condition, you can carefully consider the
varying angles and subject matter available to explore. Do some reading about specific instances and choose
one that stands out as particularly unique or interesting. Then, all you have to do is find an angle or "question"
to ask that can be defended with evidence from the case.

Published on June 8th, 2016