Do you know a person who has a theft problem and uncontrollable urges to steal?A friend or loved one may have a problem.It is an impulse control disorder.If left unaddressed, it can lead to emotional pain and legal consequences.How can you be certain if someone has it?Look at symptoms, note other risk factors and talk to a mental health professional.There is no cure for Kleptomania, but it can be treated.
Step 1: There are episodes of theft that you should look for.
The main feature of theft is not the same as stealing.There are people who have an urge to steal things.Since the disorder is considered one of impulse control, they don't steal for personal gain or peer pressure, but because the impulse to do so is so strong.People who have a tendency to steal things that they can afford and that have little or no value to them.They don't use the items and end up hiding them, giving them away or donating them.Sometimes a person will return items that have been stolen.People with the disorder do not steal because of delusions or anger.The act seems random to an outsider.
Step 2: Refer to any impulsiveness.
One of the main features of stealing is randomness.People who have a personality disorder don't plan thefts.They act spontaneously and with no other motivation than to steal.Not for personal gain, social standing, or because of another issue.Does the person you know steal from stores?This is how people with obsessive tendencies work.Sometimes, they also steal from relatives and friends.Does the person you know plan to steal?A person with a personality disorder doesn't plan to steal.The thefts are not done with prior planning or help from another person.
Step 3: There is a cycle of emotions.
People with kleptomania go through cycles of stealing and emotion.The impulse to steal usually comes with a heightened feeling of tension, anxiety, or arousal before the act, while afterwards the person may be ashamed or disgusted with themselves.Kleptomania is hard to understand because it happens on impulse.People with kleptomania say their urge to steal is out of character or uncontrollable.It's hard to concentrate at work or at home if you're preoccupied with urges to steal.In the time leading up to a theft, a person may feel pleasure, excitement, or relief.Many report guilt, remorse, and shame and have a fear of being arrested.The cycle will repeat itself and the person will feel an impulse to steal again.
Step 4: Take a look at family history.
Doctors don't know a lot about Kleptomania.We know that there are risk factors.If you have one of these factors, you're more likely to develop the disorder.There is a past family history of alcoholism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or other substance abuse problems.One of your relatives in the first degree had the problem if you have a family history.A person in your immediate family is a mother, father, brother, or sister.It may be difficult to determine if a family member has a disorder.People with kleptomania are more likely to end up in and out of jail.People with a mental disorder are assumed to be criminals by their families.
Step 5: Women are usually the ones who have kleptomania.
Two in three people with this disorder are female.It may be that the true percentages are different, as doctors don't know why this is the case.There are differences in the way that the disorder appears in women and men.Men who have a history of birth trauma are more likely to suffer from other mental issues like eating disorders.Some people think the differences are overstated and that the percentage of men who have kleptomania is higher.Men are less likely to be referred to treatment if they are sent to prison.
Step 6: There are mental health issues.
A number of other issues are also risk factors for kleptomania, or at least seem to appear in higher rates in people who have it.The result of brain trauma or altered brain chemistry may be the cause of these disorders.It appears at higher rates in people with issues like major depression, bipolar disorder, mania, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.People with impulse control problems are more likely to be addicted to alcohol, drugs, or nicotine.People with head injuries are more likely to have the latter.Depression, gambling, anxiety, and eating disorders are some of the mental problems that may be caused by Kleptomania.
Step 7: Talk to your doctor.
There are people who face a hard reality.They have to deal with the anguish of their disorder but also the real possibility of being arrested and jailed.If they can't stop stealing, they should talk to a doctor.The truth is that health care professionals don't report thefts to the authorities because they are afraid of being turned in.Talk to a psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapist.Ask for help or a referral if you have a problem with a general doctor.Encourage the person to get help if they are a loved one.Explain that you are concerned for the well-being of the loved one and that there are effective ways to treat it.They can't resist through will alone.
Step 8: Expect a lot of questions.
There are no tests for kleptomania.Doctors will look at the patient's medical and personal history in order to rule out physical causes like brain injury.Expect questions about family and personal history, behavior, and other medical conditions.The doctor may ask about situations that may lead to an impulse to steal, or review a list of situations.The doctor may ask about the patient's impulses and how they affect them.There could be more detailed psychological questionnaires.
Step 9: According to the DSM-5, assess.
According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, kleptomania is an impulse control disorder.A person will need to show the criteria to exclude other possible causes of the disorder.These criteria are what will determine if a person can be diagnosed with a mental illness.A pattern of stealing behaviors can be engaged in by people with kleptomania.The person is unable to resist the urge to steal things, which are not needed for personal use or for monetary gain.A person feels tension before a theft.They feel relief after the theft.The person does not steal for revenge or out of anger.It is not possible to explain the behavior by a mental condition like a conduct disorder or manic episode.
Step 10: It's important to keep in mind that it can be difficult to diagnose.
It may not be the first diagnosis that someone receives if the condition is present along with other conditions.You should be patient as you seek help for a loved one.Inform your doctor or therapist if you think you may have a disorder.