In order to know the meaning of the term kleptomaniac, it is necessary, first of all, to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it is a word of Greek origin, composed from the sum of three elements of said language:
-The verbal form “klepto”, which can be translated as “I steal”.
-The noun “mania”, which is equivalent to “madness”.
-The suffix “-o”, which is used to indicate “agent”.
Precisely based on all this we can establish that it is used to refer to someone who "suffers from the uncontrollable desire to steal."
A kleptomaniac is an individual who suffers from kleptomania : an inclination that leads him to steal compulsively . It is a disorder that prevents the subject from controlling their impulses, in this case linked to the act of appropriating objects that do not belong to them.
The kleptomaniac, upon feeling this urge, begins to feel an increasing level of anxiety that is only relieved by committing the theft. Because theft provides comfort, the behavior is reinforced and repeated over and over again: this is why the act of stealing becomes an addiction .
All kleptomaniacs have some common characteristics such as the following:
-They have habitual thoughts that incite them to commit the crime in question.
-After having stolen any object, they may feel not only feelings of remorse but also guilt.
-We cannot ignore the fact that they feel powerless over the impulse to commit theft or theft.
It is important to keep in mind that, in kleptomaniacs, keeping other people's property is not linked to a desire to increase material wealth or the intention to satisfy an economic need . The stolen object, in fact, may lack monetary value and even utility .
For the kleptomaniac, his compulsive propensity to steal can be the cause of all kinds of problems. From legal ones linked to the penalties with which a theft is punished, to social, labor and family ones. Many people fail to understand or accept that a kleptomaniac is someone who steals out of an impulse they cannot control.
Kleptomaniacs generally suffer from other disorders linked to anxiety and mood . Their own behavior contributes to increasing stress and the development of various negative feelings, such as guilt .
Treatment for kleptomania usually includes therapy with a psychiatrist or psychologist and the provision of drugs such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers.
However, we cannot ignore that in this treatment other tools can also take center stage, such as the following:
-Relaxation techniques, so that they can have more control when they suffer from anxiety or stress.
-Techniques so that the kleptomaniac can proceed to learn to express the internal tension he feels but in a way that is constructive.
-Behavioral techniques, which will help the individual to reinforce self-confidence as well as their ability to control.