Definition

Kleptomania is the inability to resist impulses to steal. The things that are stolen are not needed for personal use or 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. Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Risk Factors

Kleptomania appears to be more common in females than in males.

Kleptomania often occurs with other psychological disorders. These include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Substance abuse, such as alcohol use disorder and drug abuse
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia
• Other impulse control disorders

Other factors that may increase your risk include:

• Having a first degree relative with a history of kleptomania, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, or alcohol or drug abuse
• Having a brain injury

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 that are not committed out of anger, or for revenge or personal gain
• 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 involve treating an underlying disease. Other treatments include:

Prevention

There are no current guidelines to prevent kleptomania because the cause is not known.