Who is a kleptomaniac? Is he a criminal or an addict? Kleptomania, like alcoholism and bulimia, is a disease. People suffering from this disease constantly want to steal something. Stolen things may not even have special value, only the fact of theft is important to a person, which brings him satisfaction.
Causes of disease
Who is this kleptomaniac? What is kleptomania? This is a disease that provokes people to rash acts. Experts have not yet established the specific causes of the development of this disease. Some doctors believe that the prerequisites for this harmful addiction are transmitted at the genetic level from relatives. Most often, kleptomania manifests itself as a result of mental disorders.
After conducting research, experts have found that the kleptomaniac gets satisfaction from the risk. It can be compared to adrenaline addiction. Only a kleptomaniac has an indirect degree of risk. People who commit extreme acts risk their own lives, and a kleptomaniac only risks social freedom and professional reputation.
Disease orcrime?
A thief, unlike a kleptomaniac, steals for profit. The second, on the contrary, performs this act only for the pleasure of the process itself. However, his actions are always spontaneous and careless. Stolen items are usually not worth much, since the kleptomaniac does not pursue the goal of enriching himself. He never involves accomplices. Whether this person is a criminal or a kleptomaniac, the court will decide.
According to Russian law, for petty theft, a person faces only an administrative pen alty in the form of a fine or up to 15 days of arrest. In more severe cases, a criminal case will be initiated against the person. Often, thieves try to prove that they are kleptomaniacs in order to avoid arrest. Psychotherapists say that a kleptomaniac is a person who never admits that he has this addiction, because it is too difficult for him to realize that he is a kleptomaniac.
The symptoms of this disease must be distinguished from the tendency to steal in adolescents, who often consider stealing a sign of protest against adults, they thus try to raise their status among their peers.
Signs of disease
Answering the question of who a kleptomaniac is, it should be understood that this person is clearly aware that he is breaking the law. As a rule, a person repents for his act, but understands that he cannot control his actions. He just doesn't know why this is happening.
Kleptomaniacs often get lowself-esteem, they suffer from loneliness. Moreover, each perfect senseless theft is regarded by them as another confirmation of their “inferiority”. First of all, this disorder is dangerous for the person himself, because it makes him be in constant stress. He is always afraid that a rash act will be punished. As a result, an obsessive feeling of fear and other related mental disorders may occur.
After stealing, a kleptomaniac gets satisfaction. And if he does not steal for a long period, he is haunted by a feeling of discomfort, provoking a new crime. The break between thefts can be a week or even a month. At this time, a person is tormented by a sense of guilt. Most often, kleptomaniacs get rid of stolen things: they return it back to the scene of the crime or simply throw it away.
Consequences of kleptomania
The fact that stealing is bad and wrong, everyone knows since childhood. But people suffering from kleptomania feel that they are powerless and cannot cope with the disorder on their own. As a result, their psyche is destroyed by guilt, shame and self-hatred. A person begins to lead an immoral lifestyle, being in constant confusion.
When a person has signs of kleptomania, treatment should be started immediately. Otherwise, he may have serious legal, financial and emotional problems.
Addiction treatment
Very few people with kleptomaniaindependently seeks help from a specialist. Addiction is usually discovered when a person is caught stealing.
It is very difficult to overcome the disease on your own. There are no standard treatments for the disorder, all of them include psychotherapy and drugs that are prescribed individually.
Before starting treatment, the specialist assesses the patient's physical and mental condition. To do this, a kleptomaniac must undergo laboratory tests, do an MRI, CT scan and take a blood test. This will help you make a more accurate diagnosis. During psychological testing, the patient fills out special questionnaires, this helps to identify the symptoms of kleptomania.
There is no specific type of drug that can cure a disease. Specialists always use complex treatment, selecting drugs and methods of treatment for each patient individually.
Prevention of kleptomania
Who is a kleptomaniac and how to prevent yourself from getting sick? According to statistics, 10% of people have stolen something at some point in their lives. In 50% of cases, they did it by accident out of curiosity. It is impossible to protect yourself from the disease. Doctors still cannot answer the question about the occurrence of this disease. It is important to recognize kleptomania in a timely manner in order to begin treatment and prevent possible unpleasant consequences.
Once a person starts stealing uncontrollably, it is important not to let this harmful desire develop into a chronic disorder that will be difficult to overcome in the future.
Support and help from loved ones
Close people can participate in therapy sessions with the patient. It would be wise to talk to your doctor in private to find out exactly who a kleptomaniac is and how to deal with this ailment.
The help of loved ones is extremely important for an addicted person, because recovery will take a lot of time. Often relatives and friends of a kleptomaniac experience stress and fatigue. To relieve tension, it is recommended to use various relaxation techniques or just spend more free time with friends.
It is very important not to blame the patient for what he is doing. After all, kleptomania is a mental illness, not weakness, lack of willpower and lack of character. It is very important to talk with a person, help him, impartially evaluate actions without judging him.
In order for support to have a beneficial effect, you should prepare for such conversations by visiting a psychotherapist. He will be able to suggest rules of conduct that will help a person open up and talk about his experiences. Then, by joint efforts, the kleptomaniac will be able to overcome his illness.
