Definition

Kleptomania is the inability to resist impulses to steal. The things that are stolen are not needed for personal use. They are also not taken for their monetary value. This is a rare condition.

Causes

The exact cause of kleptomania is not known. Chemical imbalances in the brain may play a role.

Frontal Lobe

Psychological disorders are sometimes the result of chemical imbalances in the brain. The frontal lobe of the brain is thought to provide impulse control.

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Risk Factors

Kleptomania often occurs with other psychological disorders. These include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Substance abuse (eg, alcoholism, drug abuse)
• Eating disorders (eg, anorexia, bulimia)
• Other impulse control disorders

Other risk factors include:

• Having a family history of the condition
• Having a brain injury

Kleptomania appears to be more common in females than in males. There are no other known risk factors.

Symptoms

Symptoms of kleptomania include all of the following:

• A repeated inability to resist impulses to steal things that are not of personal value
• A feeling of relief, joy, and/or pleasure when stealing things
• Feeling of guilt or remorse after the event
• Thefts not committed out of anger or revenge
• Lack of a better explanation for the theft, such as another psychological disorder

Diagnosis

Kleptomania is different from shoplifting or ordinary theft, which is:

• Deliberate
• Motivated by the stolen item's usefulness or monetary value
• The result of a dare, an act of rebellion, or a rite of passage

A psychiatrist or psychologist will diagnose kleptomania when:

• All of the symptoms of kleptomania are present
• There is no other, better explanation for repeated thefts
• Kleptomania is not an excuse for shoplifting or ordinary theft

Treatment

Treatment may include:

Prevention

There are no guidelines for preventing kleptomania. The exact cause is not known.