Living With Healthy Hunger Health Blog
“A kleptomaniac is a person who helps himself because he can’t help himself.” – Henry Morgan
Kleptomania, or the impulsive urge to steal small items that a person generally doesn’t need and that usually have little value, is an impulse control disorder. And, unless treated medically and managed through behaviour modification psychotherapy, it will spiral out of control, and the kleptomaniac will end up being arrested and charged for theft, amongst other crimes.
It is often mistaken as a form of criminal behaviour, and the general feeling is that the perpetrator should appear in a criminal court on a misdemeanor theft in Colorado charge. And this is not a good thing for the victim (perpetrator) or family members. Consequently, the result is a negative emotional experience for all concerned.
However, true kleptomania is a severe mental health disorder. The key to determining whether a family member, friend or acquaintance has this condition is if small things of little monetary value that are not needed to survive start disappearing. You could be forgetful; however, it is also a sign that you are living or working with a kleptomaniac.
It is also important to note that the person with kleptomania experiences a sense of intense gratification or pleasure during the act of the theft. However, s(he) experiences an equally strong sense of guilt and shame after the event.
Kleptomania: Ways to control the mental health disorder
Therefore, the question that must be asked and answered, how is kleptomania managed and controlled? Here are a few tips to help you diagnose, manage, and conquer kleptomania:
Seek medical Advice
The first step to managing kleptomania is to seek the advice of a medical specialist like a psychiatrist. Lack of impulse control conditions are often caused by problems with the serotonin and dopamine levels in the patient’s brain. Both dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters that are secreted in the brain and are responsible for emotion and mood regulation.
It is interesting to note that the actual theft causes dopamine to be released in the brain. The continued release of dopamine as a consequence of an action (both good and bad) results in the formation of a habit. When kleptomania has been diagnosed, the psychiatrist will consider prescribing SSR (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) medication and will almost certainly prescribe cognitive behavioural therapy.
Attend the prescribed psychotherapy
Succinctly stated, the aim of cognitive behavioural therapy or behavioural modification psychotherapy is to learn to control the impulse to steal. It aims to form new neural pathways in the brain to ensure that the desire to steal is unlearned as it were. This process takes time, and it often requires the patient to work hard at learning new behaviours, especially the longer the person has been involved in the practice of kleptomania.
It is also vital to understand that to prevent relapses, and it is critical to stick rigidly to the treatment plan. Otherwise, there is an increased chance of falling back into old, negative behaviour patterns.
