Like other disruptive and impulse-control disorders, kleptomania creates reckless behaviors that violate laws and social norms. People with kleptomania, kleptomaniacs, respond to an uncontrolled sense of tension and stress by stealing objects, regardless of their need or value. Kleptomania is a challenging diagnosis, but with a professional treatment plan, symptoms will alleviate.
Signs of Kleptomania
The most prevalent and obvious sign of kleptomania is the repetitive and uncontrollable need to steal items. Despite warnings, negative repercussions, and threats, a person with kleptomania will continue stealing things, but there is much more to the disorder than shoplifting.1,2
People with kleptomania will compulsively steal from stores, family members, neighbors, and any other location in the community. Often, the person will experience powerful urges to steal paired with a high level of physical or mental tension, and they are compelled to commit the act because they do not possess the ability to stop the unwanted behavior.2
The house or room of a person with kleptomania may be littered with their stolen items while some may quickly dispose of these things or later return them to the site. In the case of kleptomania, the person does not assign value or meaning to the stolen objects. The disorder is focused on the act of stealing much more than the content of what is stolen.1
This difference is essential in separating a person with kleptomania from a person who is interested in stealing. People commonly steal things that they need, want, or cannot afford. Teenagers will steal due to peer pressure or the desire to fit in, but the desire to steal with kleptomania stems from another level of motivation.
A person with kleptomania rarely plans or prepares to steal the item, and they almost always do so without the aid or assistance of others. The stealing is a personal effort, not meant to impress or affect others.1
Men and women of all ages can have kleptomania, and although the condition commonly begins during adolescence, it will present in similar ways across the lifespan.1 People’s reactions to the behaviors may change, though. Parents, store owners, or law enforcement may be more willing to excuse stealing from teens or a “little old lady” because it is common or expected.3
Not everyone who steals has kleptomania, but it is always valuable to assess and evaluate for the disorder’s presence. Even among shoplifters, kleptomania is rare. Only between 4% and 24% of people who are caught shoplifting will have kleptomania. Women are more likely than men to have the condition at a rate of three to one.1
Symptoms of Kleptomania
Unlike many other mental health disorders described by the American Psychiatric Association in its text the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), kleptomania has only a few symptoms that are straightforward and distinct.
The symptoms of kleptomania may include:1
- The recurrent or repetitive inability to resist the urge to steal objects. The stolen items are not needed for their personal use or monetary value.
- A growing feeling of stress or tension experienced directly before the theft
- A powerful sense of pleasure, relaxation, gratification, or relief once the item is stolen
- The theft is not committed to convey a message of anger or revenge, and it is not a reaction to psychotic symptoms like delusional thoughts or hallucinations.
- Other mental health conditions like conduct disorder, mania, or antisocial personality disorder do not better explain the stealing behaviors.
Though it may appear otherwise, people with kleptomania do not get a thrill or high from the act. They consciously know that stealing the item is wrong, pointless, and illegal, but they are unable to resist the urge. As the stress and tension grow, stealing seems to be the only reasonable option to control the problem.1
The sense of relief and gratification is very short-lived and quickly replaced with feelings of guilt, shame, and depression. At times, people will worry about being caught for the theft and fear arrest.1
What Causes Kleptomania?
Since kleptomania is a rare mental health disorder with a prevalence rate of 0.6% or lower, the condition does not receive the attention and research of other diagnoses.1 Because of this, little is known about the causes of kleptomania, but experts see connections in the person’s biological and environmental makeup.
Despite the lack of a clear explanation, experts theorize that there are several possible causes and triggers. Kleptomania is linked to:4
- Low serotonin levels: Serotonin is a chemical messenger in the brain associated with a number of areas like mood, sleeping, and digestion. People with poor impulse control tend to have lower levels of serotonin in the brain.
- Addictions: Researchers speculate that the stealing of kleptomania triggers an effect similar to substance use. As people seek to repeat this positive feeling linked to the release of another chemical messenger called dopamine, stealing and drug use may co-occur.
- Imbalance in the opioid system: This system in the brain requires equilibrium to maintain balance and control urges. When imbalance exists in the system, a person could find it more challenging to resist the urges to steal.
Risk Factors for Kleptomania
Risk factors for kleptomania include a combination of genetic and environmental influences that increase the likelihood of the condition occurring at some point.
Some of the most prevalent risk factors for kleptomania are:1,4
- Family history of mental health problems. It seems that people with close family members who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a substance use disorder, or kleptomania are more likely to have the disorder.
- Personal history of mental health issues. If a person has bipolar disorder, an anxiety disorder, an eating disorder, or a personality disorder, they will have a greater chance of experiencing kleptomania.
As with other conditions, protective factors can help to offset the effects of risk factors. People can hope to limit the impact of kleptomania by seeking healthy coping skills and early treatment.
Co-Occurring Disorders That May Contribute to Kleptomania
When mental health disorders co-occur, it can be difficult to know if one directly contributes to another. What experts do know is that numerous mental health diagnoses tend to present with kleptomania.
Disorders that commonly co-occur with kleptomania include:1
- Bipolar disorders
- Depressive disorders, especially major depressive disorder
- Anxiety disorders
- Eating disorders, especially bulimia
- Personality disorders like antisocial personality disorder
- Alcohol and other substance use disorders
- Other disruptive impulse-control, and conduct disorders
It is impossible to know if kleptomania triggers the conditions or the conditions trigger kleptomania, but a strong association is present. The emergence of these co-occurring disorders may increase the challenge of proper diagnosis and treatment of kleptomania.
Treatment of Kleptomania
Even though kleptomania is not as common and well-studied as other conditions like depression and anxiety, clinicians and researchers have discovered treatment approaches that benefit people with the disorder. There is no standardized treatment for kleptomania, but a combination of therapy, medications, and lifestyle changes can address symptoms.
Therapy
Therapy that involves meeting with a psychotherapist in an individual or group setting can help a person with kleptomania identify their unhealthy behaviors and problematic thinking patterns while learning about their condition and how to form new habits. Research shows cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the standard psychotherapy for kleptomania.
Some of the most helpful CBT techniques used in kleptomania treatment include:3,4
- Client education: One of the best ways to begin kleptomania treatment is for the therapist to educate and inform the client about their condition, its effects, and ways to shift behaviors. Helping to normalize the client’s experience can make them feel hopeful and encouraged, rather than flawed or weak.
- Covert sensitization: Sensitization works by increasing the levels of stress and anxiety connected to stealing to make the risks grow. Using visualization techniques, the therapist will guide the client into imaging a future situation. They use their imagination to picture taking an item and then experiencing a host of negative consequences like arrest, public embarrassment, and financial repercussions.
- Aversion therapy: Aversion therapy aims to break the link between discomfort and stealing by substituting uncomfortable and unwanted actions for theft. When the client first experiences an urge to steal, the therapist encourages them to engage in mildly painful behavior like holding their breath or holding an ice cube. The goal is for the new behavior to serve as a mental distraction and a behavioral redirection from the habit of stealing.
- Systematic desensitization: As another strategy hoping to break the cause and effect relationship between stress and stealing, systematic desensitization helps people control the urges and impulses to steal through the use of relaxation techniques and positive imagery. The person can begin to see that the uncomfortable feelings are only temporary.
- Addressing co-occurring conditions: For many people, kleptomania does not exist alone, so the most effective CBT treatment will work to evaluate, diagnose, and treat all present mental health disorders concurrently.
So many factors influence how quickly someone can diminish their stealing behaviors linked to kleptomania and replace them with healthier choices, but CBT tends to work quickly. In the case of people with depressive or anxiety disorders, CBT-based psychotherapy can create major improvements in between 12-16 sessions.5
Starting treatment at an earlier age and working with an experienced clinician can speed up the treatment process. On the other hand, having many co-occurring conditions, poor treatment compliance, and many triggers can slow the treatment progress.
Lifestyle Changes
Making some simple lifestyle changes can have a positive effect on kleptomania treatment and lower the incidence of relapse. One of the best changes involves engaging friends and family members to assist with resisting urges.
Many times, people with kleptomania isolate and feel immense shame and guilt over their condition, but by explaining their condition, they may utilize their support. By taking a loved one to the store, the person can have someone else to hold them accountable and to help with coping skills when urges are high. This practice is especially helpful early in the treatment process.
Medication
Prescribers like nurse practitioners and psychiatrists may offer medications to help the treatment of kleptomania after a careful evaluation. Like with therapy, there is no standard or FDA-approved medication treatment for kleptomania, but there is promise with several medicines. Medications may also be considered to help treat the above-mentioned co-morbid mental health conditions.
The most common and effective drugs for kleptomania are:3,4
- Antidepressants: Tricyclic antidepressants like imipramine (Tofranil) and nortriptyline (Pamelor) as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), and paroxetine (Paxil) are normally prescribed to address depressive or OCD symptoms, but may also be helpful for kleptomania. These medications help to regulate serotonin levels in the brain that may contribute to powerful urges to steal.
- Mood stabilizers: Often prescribed to help manage moods of people with bipolar disorder, mood stabilizers like lithium and valproate (Depakote) can help with kleptomania as well.
- Naltrexone: Commonly used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for drug dependence, naltrexone (ReVia, Vivitrol) could help control the impulses of kleptomania like it does for the cravings for opioids and alcohol in addiction treatment.
Only an experienced prescriber can recommend a medication for kleptomania. Clients should always be sure to fully understand their prescription and make their doctor aware of any side effects or problems as they develop.
How to Get Help for Kleptomania
Getting help for kleptomania should be a simple process, but because people may be unsure of the symptoms or where to turn for help, they may struggle initially. Anytime a person is concerned about their well-being or the well-being of a loved one, they should contact a mental healthy agency or a trusted mental health professional.
Mental health professionals are available in a variety of settings including schools, doctors’ offices, community mental health centers, and private practice locations. In many situations, a quick phone call to schedule an assessment is a helpful start. Even better, referrals are not typically needed to access care.
How to Get Help for a Loved One
Getting help for a loved one with kleptomania often involves getting help for yourself in the form of accurate information as the process begins. Because the mental health condition overlaps with other issues and ailments involving stealing, like bipolar disorder or antisocial personality disorder, it is essential to fully understand the condition.
From there, engage your loved one in a conversation built around love and support, not anger and blame. Encouraging help may be a long-term process, so be sure to maintain patience and consistency with your messaging.
Important points to emphasize are:4
- You love the person and you care about their health and happiness
- You worry about the risks associated with their behaviors
- You understand the urge is strong and “willpower” is not enough to resist the compulsions
- You can help them access and follow through with professional treatments
Kleptomania Statistics
Not many people have kleptomania each year, but researchers are always working to gather insightful information regarding the condition.
Some fascinating kleptomania statistics include:1,3,6
- Kleptomania is a rare mental health disorder with a prevalence rate of 0.6% or lower, but this still equates to more than 1 million adults in the U.S.
- Women are more likely than men to have the condition at a rate of three to one.
- Between 4% and 24% of people who are caught shoplifting will have kleptomania, which translates to at least 100,000 arrests annually.
- Kleptomania is responsible for about $500 million annual loss to the economy
- Surveys found more than 25% of people with kleptomania have been hospitalized due to their condition
- Nearly 20% of people with kleptomania have considered or attempted suicide due to their distress.
4 Ways to Manage Living With Kleptomania
Kleptomania can add a very high level of stress to life, but there are ways to minimize its impact and live well with kleptomania. With a set of strategies that employ mindfulness, planning, and supports, kleptomania’s influence can shrink.
1. End the Secret & Tell your Loved Ones
With the influence of shame, guilt, and regret associated with kleptomania, many people with the condition may choose to keep it a secret and conceal the truth from others. Also this approach may seem appealing in the short-term, it can lead to unwanted repercussions in the long-term.
Having an open and honest conversation with your loved ones one-on-one or in a group to share your situation can create positive change. Let them know how kleptomania presents for you and how their love and support can help your progress.
2. Plan & Prepare for Urges
People who have never lived with kleptomania will never know the frustration of how a simple activity like going to the supermarket can inspire such stress, tension, fear, and worry. Rather than spontaneously jumping in the car and heading to the store, you will need to plan and prepare for the condition.
Think about how your condition is likely to present, what you can do to keep yourself from stealing something, and what coping skills you can use to fight back against urges. As always, prevention is a helpful tool, so taking steps to reduce your stress and anxiety before leaving the house can put you in a better position for success when you shop.
3. Focus on Your Physical Health
Sometimes the best thing you can do to manage kleptomania has nothing to do with the condition directly. By focusing on your physical health, you can clear out stress and put your body and mind in a better position to handle whatever situation comes your way.
By eating a healthy diet, getting more exercise, and devoting enough time and energy to sleep, kleptomania symptoms can improve. These physical health activities help regulate serotonin in the body, so they are helping much more than kleptomania symptoms.
4. Stay Committed to Treatment
Assuredly, there will be times where you grow frustrated by your kleptomania treatment programs. Even though you will be tempted to skip an appointment or stop taking your medication, continuing the process is the only way to achieve the wanted results.
If treatment is adding to your frustration, tell your providers. Let them know that your commitment to the plan is wavering. Together, you can find ways to reinvest in treatment and devote more time, attention, and energy to the services.
Kleptomania Tests & Self-Assessment Tools
Those interested in learning more about kleptomania and wondering if they could have the condition should always seek out the opinion of a treatment professional. Without the expertise of an experienced practitioner, a misdiagnosis could be made.
When professionals diagnose kleptomania, they will typically refer to the DSM for the criteria needed to receive the diagnosis. Others will refer to brief screening tools that require “yes” or “no” responses from clients.
Screening tools may ask:3
- Do you steal or have urges to steal?
- Do thoughts of stealing preoccupy you?
- Do you feel tense and anxious before you steal or during the theft?
- Do you feel a sense of pleasure or calm immediately after stealing something?
- Has stealing and the urge to steal created a lot of distress?
- Has stealing or the desire to steal negatively impacted your life?
People who answer “yes” to many questions likely have kleptomania.
Final Thoughts for Kleptomania
Kleptomania may be one of the rarer mental health conditions, but it still affects millions of people directly and indirectly. Turn away from shame and isolation and towards acceptance and hope. Start by sharing your experience with trusted friends and family before seeking professional guidance from a therapy or prescriber. Treatment can help.
