For the month of April I am participating in the annual A-Z Blogging Challenge. The Challenge was started by author/blogger, Arlee Byrd. http://tossingitout.blogspot.com
Each day of the month (except Sundays) we will post something based on that days correlating letter. Some of us chose a theme and others are winging it. My theme is the A-to-Z’s of Mental Health, Raising Awareness. It is a topic that is very close to my heart. I hope you find the posts interesting and you will comment and share the posts everywhere. To see a list of all of the participants or for more information-click on the badge over there to the right>
Today’s letter is K
Kleptomania
Kleptomania is a powerful, irresistible urge to steal items that you do not need and the stolen items usually have little value. It is a serious psychiatric disorder and left untreated can cause emotional pain to the kleptomaniac as well as his/her loved ones.
It is an impulse disorder. It was once considered to be a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder but is no longer thought to be. It is a disorder in which they cannot resist the urges to perform acts that are dangerous to them and or someone else.
Most people with this disorder lead secret lives due to shame and rarely seek treatment on their own.
There is no cure for the disorder but the urges can be controlled with medication and behavior modification therapy.
Symptoms:
- Feeling intense tension leading up to theft.
- Feeling extreme pleasure during the theft
- Feeling unbearable guilt after the theft
- The cycle repeats
Kleptomania and drug addictions seem to have central qualities in common, including:
- recurring or compulsive participation in a behavior in spite of undesirable penalties;
- weakened control over the disturbing behavior;
- a need or desire condition before taking part in the problematic behavior; and
- a positive pleasure-seeking condition throughout the act of the disturbing behavior.
Unlike shoplifting which is usually controllable and done out of want, need or revenge the kleptomaniac has no need, for the item just the uncontrollable need to steal. It is not a character flaw. It is a serious mental health disorder that can be controlled with professional help.
If you love someone that you suspect has kleptomania, before confronting them keep in mind this is a very serious mental health condition. Do not blame or threaten the kleptomaniac. Gently tell them that a mental health provider will not report their thefts to the police. Explain to them you are afraid they will eventually be arrested. Try to convince them that effective treatments are available.
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16 thoughts on “You may be a Kleptomaniac …”
Not me!
I am so happy to say me either.
Me either! I learned at the very tender age of 13 when I chose to take on a dare and got caught by my father! Best thing that ever happened to me as it taught me a few very valuable lessons. 1. Don’t steal and 2. Pick better friends. Great article.
I learned very young too. I am so grateful I don’t have anything like this.
It’s shocking when you read newspaper articles about the rich and famous who are kleptomaniacs. I mean, these are people who have all the material comforts in the world. I suppose it has to do with impulsive behaviour, and has little to do with needing/wanting the items.
Writer In Transit
It is an actual disorder but yes it is something when you here about celebrities stealing dumb little things.
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When I was in junior high, my mother had a friend who was a klepto. It took a long time to detect because the stolen items were, as you said, really dumb and valueless. We always wondered why she took her big ole purse into the bathroom for every visit to our house. Turns out she was taking air freshener, cotton balls, extra toothpaste, washcloths. Weird. But it made us keep an eye on her. Such a creepy feeling. My mom confronted her and she burst into tears, not denying it. I mean, when my mom asked her to open her purse and out falls a used Renuzit, you know you’re busted! The friendship was strained, but the woman had other mental disorders too, and my dad was a trained chaplain so he was gentle with her.
I once had a friend that would take the silliest little knick-knacks. It made me mad, I was
pretty young but I never confronted her. I was so happy to move to another state!
Another informative one dear Doreen
Thank you, I am learning so much.
Hey! I wrote about kleptomania, too, though more from the “interesting word” perspective. Your post was really informative!
http://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2014/04/k-kleptomaniac-z-blog-challenge.html?_sm_au_=isVHWrPpcq4k76cR
It is such a fun word. It brews all sorts of story ideas!
I wrote about kleptomania, too, though more from an “interesting words” perspective. Thanks for the interesting and informative post!
http://samanthadunawaybryant.blogspot.com/2014/04/k-kleptomaniac-z-blog-challenge.html?_sm_au_=isVHWrPpcq4k76cR
Whenever I read about one of the Hollywood stars walking out of a store with unpaid for merchandise, I think there has to be an issue. And why doesn’t someone help these kids?
I agree and I really think the parents have more issues than the kids.