Kleptomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by recurrent failure to resist impulses to steal items even though they are not needed for personal use or their monetary value. It affects about 0.3-0.6% of the population and is more common in females. Biological factors like low serotonin levels and psychological factors like operant conditioning may contribute to its development. Treatment involves cognitive behavioral therapy and medication like SSRIs to increase serotonin levels and reduce urges to steal.

1. Kleptomania
PRSENTED BY
Bikash Kumar Sahu
18MPY-002
P.G Dept. Of Psychology
GMU, Sambalpur

3. Contents
 Introduction
 Symptoms
 Prevalence
 Etiology
 Treatment
 References

4. Introduction
 Kleptomania is the irresistible urge to steal items that you
generally have little value to you.
 It is usually done for reasons other than personal use or
economical need or monetary value.
 In psychiatry, It came to notice in the year 1816 that is
classified as an impulse control disorder.

5. Sometimes we do steal something but Are we one of them?

6. Symptoms..
 Uncontrollable urges to
steal something when they
don’t need it.
 Kleptomaniacs feel
tension, worryness before
stealing any item and feel
satisfied, pleasure, relief
after stealing activities.
 These urges are of a cycle
formation which is
repetitive in nature.

7. Prevalence
 Kleptomania is relatively rare in the general population,
with about 0.3 to 0.6 percent of people experiencing this
condition.
 It is more common in females.
 In patients who have histories of obsessive-compulsive
disorder, some studies suggest a 7% correlation with
kleptomania.
 Other studies have reported a particularly high (65%)
correlation of kleptomania in patients with bulimia.

8. Etiology
 Psychoanalytic models- Drive theory was used to propose
that the act of stealing is a defense mechanism which serves as
to modulate or keep undesirable feelings or emotions from
being expressed.
 Cognitive-behavioral models- Operant conditioning.
 Biological models- It suggest that poor regulation
of serotonin, dopamine within the brain are to blame for
kleptomania. Serotonin helps regulate moods and emotions.
Low levels of serotonin are common in people prone to
impulsive behaviors.

9. Treatments
 The treatment for kleptomania may include a
combination of psychopharmacology and
psychotherapy.
 Basically the treatment is based on 2 major aspect :-
1. Psychological counseling or therapy.
2. Medications used for treatment.

10. Psychological counseling or therapy
 Behavior modification therapy
 Family therapy
 Cognitive behavioral therapy
 Psychodynamic therapy

11. Medications
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which
raise serotonin levels in the brain:
 Fluoxetine (Prozac), most commonly used
 Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
 Paroxetine (Paxil)
 Sertraline (Zoloft)

12. References
 www.mayoclinic.org
 https://en.wikipedia.org
 American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.
 National Health Information Center
 Christianini, A. R., Conti, M. A., Hearst, N., Cordás, T. A., de
Abreu, C. N., & Tavares, H. (2015). Treating kleptomania:
cross-cultural adaptation of the Kleptomania Symptom
Assessment Scale and assessment of an outpatient program.
Comprehensive psychiatry, 56, 289-294.