UNAIR NEWS – Recently, a trending theft case between Mariana and an Alfamart employee has been under the spotlight. The theft case was alleged to be rooted in the kleptomania syndrome Mariana suffered. Though the case was settled, the public still has questions regarding kleptomania syndrome.
Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Department of UNAIR Faculty of Psychology (FPsi) lecturer, Margaretha SPsi PGDipPsych MSc explained the cause, symptoms, treatments, and prevention of kleptomania.
“According to the statistics in the Diagnostic Manual of American Psychiatric Association in 2013, kleptomania affects 0.3 to 0.6 percent of the human population with 5 percent of theft cases done by people with kleptomania,” said Margaretha.
To find out whether Mariana is suffering from kleptomania, further investigation is needed to know her intention when stealing chocolate in the Alfamart.
Kleptomania definition
“Kleptomania is a syndrome or psychological [mental] disorder, a recurrent inability to resist urges to steal items,” said Margaretha.
In most cases, the stolen items were things not they need, but only the wanted ones which the patients could afford. “It’s about impulses, the uncontrollable ones,” she added.
Kleptomania causes
Margaretha further stated that the syndrome was caused by obsession or repeated desire to own other people’s belongings. “Why does someone wants to own other people’s things? Usually, it is linked to stress or conditions that trigger the stealing behavior,” she stated.
Several factors generally cause stress that leads to stealing behavior. First, the biological factor, such as stress-prone people due to the low neurotransmitters, low serotonin, and more are currently under research.
Second, the psychological factor, as people with kleptomania usually have psychological disorders or comorbid like personality disorders; substance abuse such as alcohol or other addictive substances; and mood disorders such as depression or bipolar.
“It may be the cause or the impact. When these people fail to stop the stealing behavior, they will be stressed and depressed, and vice versa. When they stopped stealing, they could be stressed and depressed as well due to obsessive, powerful compulsions. They will keep thinking about it and want to steal something. Stopping the behavior would make them unhappy and stressed,” she said.
Kleptomania symptoms
Margaretha also explained five diagnostic criteria that must be met or symptoms possessed by people with kleptomania. First, repeated failure to stop impulses to steal other people’s belongings for which they don’t really need or goods they can afford. Second, the surging pressure or stress before they stealing which makes the behavior executed unplanned.
Third, after they steal comes satisfaction, pleasure, and relief. Fourth, stealing is done not for revenge, nor is profit. Even sometimes, the stolen things are shared with other people because the stealing process is more important.
Fifth, the stealing was done not because they have social issues and behavioral disorders, bipolar mania, etc.
Kleptomania treatment
Furthermore, Margaretha said that there are two ways to treat the syndrome. The first treatment is to control obsession, which will help control the compulsion and prevent the stealing behavior. Controlling this obsession can be done with cognitive and behavioral therapy approaches. At the same time, the second way is with comorbid therapy of the kleptomania disorder itself.
Author: Tristania Faisa Adam
Editor : Binti Q. Masruroh
