Pathological Stealing Kleptomania

Stealing, or taking anything which belongs to someone else without their permission can become addictive. The habit does not have to be as heinous as trespassing into people’s houses or shoplifting expensive items. Instead, poor impulse control can lead to addictive and compulsive diseases. Kleptomania is a condition in which stealing becomes an addiction.

Q. What Exactly Is Kleptomania?

Kleptomania is an impulse control condition characterized by a failure to resist temptations to steal. Typically, you will select products that you do not require and that has a minimal monetary value. While it is a rare ailment, it can bring you and your loved ones severe distress.

The disease is characterized by difficulties with self-control in conduct and emotions. When you have difficulty with impulse control, you seem unsuccessful at resisting the temptation to do dangerous or excessive actions to yourself or others. Furthermore, because you are reluctant to seek medical help, you are compelled to lead a secret life of humiliation. Seek Online Counselling from the best counselor at TalktoAngel to learn more about Kleptomania.

Q. Why Do People Steal?

The origins of kleptomania are unknown. However, hypotheses claim that the illness is caused by impulse abnormalities in the brain. More research is needed to properly understand these potential reasons.

Opioid System Of The Brain:

The urge to gain monetarily or materially is secondary to the psychological condition of stealing addiction. The items you take are of little value, and you could clearly afford them if you paid for them.

This is in contrast to illegal stealing, in which you steal items because they are expensive or in short supply. When your brain’s opioid system is out of balance, you experience powerful cravings to steal, as well as anxiety, arousal, and tension.

Emotional Cocktail:

You receive a rush of joy and relief after stealing. You may experience regret or remorse after the deed, yet you seem to be unsuccessful at controlling the urge.

When you develop kleptomania, you prefer to steal when you are alone, and the behavior is uncontrollable. Criminal larceny, on the other hand, is very well and may include others. Furthermore, after stealing, you will rarely use the stuff you stole, instead giving them away or stashing them away.

Addiction Problems:

The brain may release dopamine, a transmitter that promotes pleasure feelings, as a result of stealing. Stealing produces a pleasant sense that drives you to do it again and again as an emotional or psychological feeling. The more you like the adrenaline of stealing, the more you desire to undertake it to fill an emotional or physical gap in your life.

Serotonin Dysfunction:

Serotonin is a brain chemical that aids in mood and emotion regulation. When the brain does not have enough hormone levels, it leads to impulsive behavior.

Mental Health Issues:

Stealing might be motivated by low self-esteem, jealousy, depression, eating disorders, or peer pressure. Isolation and exclusion as social concerns can also cause an emotional hole. You could look to impulsive habits for help.

You may seek out impulsive activities to demonstrate your independence or to find enjoyment in the process. Occasionally it’s due to you wanting to get even with your friends and family. ‌

You are also more likely to acquire kleptomania if you have:

Family History:

A significant person with obsessive-compulsive disorder, kleptomania, or substance use disorders, such as a parent or sibling, may enhance your chance of getting kleptomania.

Mental Health Conditions:

Kleptomania is frequently associated with other mental diseases such as anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or an eating disorder. It may also be the result of a personality condition or a substance abuse problem.

Symptoms Of Stealing Addiction:

You may experience persistent cravings to steal and struggle to control them if you have kleptomania. Other symptoms include:

• Increased stress, arousal, or anxiety that leads to theft
• After-stealing feelings of guilt, self-loathing, remorse, or shame
• While stealing, you may experience feelings of relief, pleasure, or enjoyment.
• Unplanned thievery committed on the spur of the moment

Kleptomania Treatment:

It is difficult to treat kleptomania independently, and medical assistance is required. To target the triggers and causes, treatment techniques include a combination of medicines and psychotherapy.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy:

Therapists can assist you in identifying and addressing the triggers that drive you to steal. Through gradual desensitization and covert sensitization approaches, the goal is to assist you in stopping harmful behavior. In systematic desensitization, you practice relaxation techniques to help you manage your stealing urges.

Covert sensitization is imagining yourself encountering unpleasant repercussions for stealing in order to break the behavior.

Medications: Your doctor might prescribe a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor to help balance the opioids in your brain. Addiction drugs may sometimes be prescribed to treat, rather than cure, the condition.

Feel free to seek consultation from the Best Psychologist near me at TalktoAngel for more information on Kleptomania.