Unlike theft, kleptomania is usually unplanned. In addition, kleptomania often takes items that are not valuable. Kleptomania is a person’s inability to resist the urge to take items that are not theirs that they usually do not need or have little value. Not a few people often equate it with theft, even though the motives of both are different. So that you understand it better, here is the difference between kleptomania and theft through the following review!
Getting to Know Kleptomania
Kleptomania is a mental health disorder that needs proper treatment. A person who suffers from this disease usually does not have the ability to resist the urge and desire to take things that do not belong to them. Usually, they also do not need the items they steal and generally the items are of little value. This is a type of impulse control disorder that makes sufferers unable to control their emotions and behavior.
If not treated properly, this condition can be detrimental to the sufferer and others. Unfortunately, until now it is not known for sure what causes someone to experience this mental disorder. However, this condition can be related to several things, such as a disorder in a neurotransmitter called serotonin. This part helps regulate mood and emotions in the body.
If serotonin levels are too low, this condition makes a person more susceptible to impulsive actions. In addition, sufferers are also susceptible to addictive disorders. This condition can occur when dopamine levels in the body increase after taking an item, giving a pleasant sensation and addiction. This is what makes kleptomaniacs often repeated.
The Difference Between Kleptomania and Theft
Kleptomania is different from the act of stealing. Here are some aspects that differentiate this condition from the act of stealing:
- People with kleptomania usually take things that are not valuable
Usually, people with this mental disorder will take things that are not very valuable. Meanwhile, the act of theft usually targets taking various types of valuable items belonging to other people. - Unplanned theft
Different from theft that people generally plan in advance. While people who suffer from this mental disorder do it spontaneously and unplanned. This is because the urge to take certain items suddenly appears and cannot be resisted by the sufferer. In fact, if theft can be done by more than one person, kleptomania is only done by one person. - Feeling satisfied after stealing
People with this mental disorder will feel relieved, satisfied, and happy after taking certain items. This is different from the act of theft which makes the perpetrator feel afraid and anxious so that it is not uncommon for them to hide after committing theft. - Able to buy the items she stole
As the news is circulating, there is a woman who is suspected of having this condition using a luxury car, stealing two chocolate bars. This can be one of the signs of kleptomania, because sufferers can take items with a value or price that they can actually afford. - Not using the stolen items
If a thief, he will definitely use the stolen items according to his needs. Meanwhile, people with mental disorders will not use the items they take. In fact, they can even give the items to other people.
Those are some of the differences between kleptomania and theft that you need to know. If you have family or relatives who experience this condition, you should consult a psychiatrist.
