The urge to steal

Why do people develop the urge to steal?

Like all things in mental health, the cause of kleptomania remains a puzzle. It is believed to be to an abnormality in one the brain neurotransmitters called serotonin. Kleptomania is rare but the actual numbers of people affected remain unknown. Less than 5% of people caught for shoplifting are kleptomaniacs. The disorder usually starts in early childhood and peaks in the 2^nd decade of life. Risk factors for kleptomania include head trauma, life stress, having a family member with a mental health disorder (mood disorder, addiction or impulsivity). Doctors use the criteria stated in DSM to make a diagnosis of kleptomania. If kleptomania is untreated, it usually leads to legal, financial and emotional problems. Most kleptomaniacs know that stealing is wrong but are powerless to resist the urge to steal. Many of them are left with residual feelings of remorse, disgrace, embarrassment and self-loathing. Often kleptomania is associated with other disorders like alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders, compulsive gambling, social isolation, depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.