Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine Department of Psychiatry Lecturer, NP Etiler Medical Center Psychiatry Specialist Assoc. Dr. Habib Erensoy made evaluations about kleptomania, which is also known as the "stealing disease" among the people.
Stating that psychological traumas experienced during childhood are effective in people who experience “kleptomania”, popularly known as stealing disease, experts emphasize that such a symptom develops as an indicator of suppressed anger or reducing negative mood in the person. Underlining that kleptomania is not synonymous with stealing, experts state that it is classified under the name of impulse control disorders and is the inability to prevent the urge to steal.
Defining kleptomania as "the stealing of worthless and useless things that have no material value," Assoc. Dr. Habib Erensoy said, “Stealing worthless things in childhood can be perceived as a childhood mistake and this behavior usually disappears in later ages. Of course, both moral and criminal responsibility for this negative behavior (theft) in adulthood is high.” said.
Kleptomania is the inability to restrain the urge to steal.
Noting that kleptomania is not synonymous with theft, it is classified under the name of impulse control disorders, which is a mental illness, Assoc. Dr. Habib Erensoy said, “Unlike theft, it is incompatible with one's sociocultural, external appearance and economic situation. The person usually has an excessive desire for stealing behavior. It is the state of not being able to prevent the urge to steal and steals the trinkets that do not work well and that do not have much monetary value, even though they have purchasing power. The person is aware of the negative consequences of the stealing behavior, as a result of this behavior, he cannot resist his impulses even though he feels embarrassment and distress, and repeats the same behavior. he said.
The id and superego cannot balance
Touching on the causes of kleptomania, Assoc. Dr. Habib Erensoy said, “According to the psychoanalytic theory, in kleptomania, the ego that is between the lower self that wants to take pleasure at any moment and the upper self that sets a limit to the person cannot maintain the balance. The ruthless influence of the superego has increased and the person begins to steal to punish and blame himself. According to Freud, the individual's repressed conflicts play a role.” he said.
Noting that the psychological traumas experienced during childhood are effective in people with kleptomania, Assoc. Dr. Habib Erensoy, “The person has developed such a symptom as a decrease in negative mood or an indicator of suppressed anger.” said.
Psychotherapy reduces symptoms
Assoc. Dr. Habib Erensoy noted that kleptomania can be seen with psychiatric diseases such as depression, personality disorders, Dissociative Disorder and obsessive diseases or with epilepsy, dementia and some brain tumors. Assoc. Dr. Habib Erensoy said, “Kleptomania is controlled by reducing impulsivity and treating comorbid psychiatric disorders. Psychotherapy reduces symptoms in those with traumatic experiences.” he said.
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