Kleptomaniais defined as the irresistible impulse to steal unneeded items. It is amental health disorderthat psychiatrists currently consider animpulse control disorder. Newerstatistics on kleptomanianow indicate that the condition is more common than originally thought.
Kleptomania is different from regular theft in a few ways. People with this condition do not steal out of material need, nor do they steal for fun or out of anger. Instead, act on a growing, intense desire to steal. This pressure is only relieved when they steal an object. While individuals with kleptomania usually feel pleasure in the moment of the act, they often experience guilt or shame afterward.
Today, kleptomania is still a poorly-understood condition. Learning additionalfacts on kleptomaniacan help people better understand the condition and learn more about who might be at risk of having it.
Prevalence of Kleptomania
Because of the nature of the disorder, statistics on theprevalence of kleptomaniaare challenging to determine. The condition can be difficult to detect becausepeople with kleptomaniaoften steal objects of little or no value, so their actions frequently go unnoticed. Kleptomania is also often dismissed asshoplifting, petty theft or poor impulse control.
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The latest estimate is that6 in 1000 peoplein the United States have kleptomania. This number constitutes approximately 0.6% of the population, or about 1.2 million adults as of 2004.
- Kleptomania in Men vs. Women.Womenare much more likely to have kleptomania thanmenare. Around63%of people who report having the condition are female.
- Age of Onset.Typically, a person with kleptomania begins showing symptoms in their late teens or early adult years. Theaverage onset age of kleptomaniais 17 years old. However,kleptomania’s age of onsetcan vary widely. Symptoms have been reported in children as young as 5 years old, while some people say they didn’t notice symptoms until the age of 55.
- Kleptomania Among Children and Adolescents.Aboutone-thirdof people who have kleptomania report that they started showing symptoms of the disorder aschildren. Most, however, begin showing symptoms in late adolescence.
Kleptomania and Co-Occurring Disorders
Kleptomaniafrequently co-occursalong with other mental health disorders. Often, individuals with this and other mental health conditions condition have a history ofchild abuse, troubled relationships and high levels ofstress. All these factors may cause a person to develop multiple mental health conditions from the same underlying causes.
Kleptomania and Mood Disorders
Individuals with this condition frequently suffer from mood disorders in addition to their impulse control disorder.Major depressive disorderis by far the most common mood disorder that co-occurs with this condition, affecting around35%of people with kleptomania.
Kleptomania and OCD
Kleptomania andobsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD) share several traits.OCD is common inpeople with kleptomania. Around7%of patients with OCD also have kleptomania. Some common symptoms of both disorders include:
- Intrusive thoughts
- Pressure to perform specific actions
- Ritualistic behaviors
Kleptomania and Impulse Control
Currently, theAmerican Psychiatric Associationconsiders kleptomania to be animpulse control disorder. Other impulse control disorders co-occur in between20–46%of people with kleptomania.
Kleptomania and Personality Disorders
Some studies have shown that up to43%of people who live with kleptomania also have apersonality disorder. Common co-occurring personality disorders includeparanoid personality disorderandhistrionic personality disorder.
Kleptomania and Bulimia
A strong correlation exists between kleptomania andbulimia nervosa. As many as65%of individuals with kleptomania also suffer from this eating disorder. Bothkleptomania and bulimiainvolve some similar behaviors and symptoms, such as:
- Uncontrollable urges
- Anxiety
- Feelings of guilt or shame
Kleptomania and Substance Abuse
Substance use disorders are common among people with kleptomania. Approximately23%of people with this condition also misuse alcohol or drugs of all types. The link betweenkleptomania and substance abusemay be genetic. Some of the substances commonly used by people with kleptomania include:
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
- Methamphetamine
Economic Impact of Kleptomania
Kleptomania is thought to account for5%of shoplifting losses in the United States. In 2017, shoplifting resulted in$13 billionin damages for retailers, accounting for36.5%of inventory loss. Indirect expenses, such as health care, psychological treatment and legal fees can also add to thecost of kleptomania.
Kleptomania Treatment and Outlook
Individuals with kleptomaniararely seektreatment for the disorder. Kleptomania is usually only diagnosed and addressed when a patient seeks help for another, sometimes related, mental health disorder. In most cases, kleptomania must be diagnosed and treated by a trained mental health professional.
Once diagnosed,kleptomania treatment optionsfocus on controlling impulsive thoughts and behaviors.Cognitive behavioral therapycan be beneficial, as can rational emotive therapy. Sometimes, prescription drugs likefluoxetine(Prozac) ornaltrexone(Revia) can help reduce impulsive thoughts. Theprognosis of kleptomaniais still not well understood since people usually do not seek out treatment for this disorder.
If you or a loved one live with co-occurring kleptomania and addiction, specialized treatment is available.Reach outto The Recovery Village today for more information.
