Overview

Kleptomania is a mental health disorder characterized by the repeated inability to resist the urge to steal items that are generally not needed. Unlike typical shoplifters, people with kleptomania do not steal for personal gain, revenge, or rebellion. They steal simply because the urge is so powerful that they cannot resist it. The stolen items often have little value, and the person can afford to buy them. Kleptomania is a type of impulse control disorder, where individuals have difficulty resisting excessive or harmful actions or behaviors.

Episodes of kleptomania usually occur suddenly and without planning, and most individuals steal from public places, such as stores. Although kleptomania is rare, it can be a serious condition causing emotional distress to the person and their loved ones, and even legal problems if left untreated.

Symptoms

Kleptomania symptoms may include:

• Inability to resist powerful urges to steal items that are not needed.
• Feeling increased tension, anxiety, or arousal leading up to the theft.
• Feeling pleasure, relief, or satisfaction while stealing.
• Feeling guilt, remorse, self-loathing, shame, or fear of arrest after the theft.
• Return of the urges and a repetition of the kleptomania cycle.

Features

People with kleptomania typically have these features or characteristics:

• Stealing is not driven by personal gain, revenge, or rebellion.
• Episodes of kleptomania happen suddenly and without assistance from others.
• Stolen items usually have no value to the individual.
• Stolen items are often stashed away, donated, given to friends, or secretly returned.
• Urges to steal may vary in intensity over time.

When to See a Doctor

If you find it difficult to stop shoplifting or stealing, seek medical advice. Many people with kleptomania avoid seeking treatment due to fear of legal consequences, but mental health providers usually do not report thefts to authorities. Seeking help is important to prevent potential legal problems and address the emotional distress caused by compulsive stealing.

If you suspect a loved one may have kleptomania, approach them gently and without judgment or blame. Express your concern for their well-being, the risks associated with compulsive stealing, and the available treatments to help minimize the urge to steal and live without addiction and shame.

Causes

The exact causes of kleptomania are not known, but research suggests that changes in the brain and learned patterns of stealing may contribute to the disorder. Kleptomania may be linked to problems with brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, as well as the brain's opioid system. Additionally, the act of stealing may provide temporary relief from urges, leading to a reinforcing habit that is hard to break.

Risk factors for kleptomania may include a family history of kleptomania or addictive disorders, as well as the presence of other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, or substance use disorders.

Complications

Untreated kleptomania can lead to severe emotional, family, work, legal, and financial problems. It may cause feelings of guilt, shame, self-loathing, and humiliation. Additionally, individuals with kleptomania may be at risk of developing other impulse-control disorders, substance misuse, personality disorders, eating disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and even suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Prevention

As the exact causes of kleptomania are unclear, specific prevention methods are not yet established. However, seeking treatment as soon as compulsive stealing begins may help prevent kleptomania from worsening and prevent some of the negative consequences associated with the disorder.