Chapter 2
Discussion
If theft is not caused by poverty, what causes theft?
Definition of Kleptomania
First it is a type of theft.This people who stole an item are well-educated and rich person. It is an act of stealing that gives a feeling of happiness to a person who’s diagnose that’s why even if they have enough money to buy that stuff they tried to steal it.On an article entitled "Kleptomania - A Compulsion To Steal",by M. Williams, Ph.D..Based on the article this is because of mental illness or the defect in the nervous system that affect the decision making of a person. The intense feeling of stealing is the one reason why they keep on stealing even if they know that it is wrong and it is against the law, they don’t steal if they have a strong feeling that they might be caught so we may say that this people are veteran. The characteristics of kleptomania are after they steal they felt guilt and remorse because they know that stealing is bad but they cannot help their intense feeling to steal.
Williams said that,"The stealing is not done to consciously express anger, or in response to a delusion or hallucination. It is not attributed to juvenile delinquency (i.e. conduct disorder), a mood disorder (i.e. bipolar disorder), or sociopathic tendencies (i.e. antisocial personality disorder)."(http://www.brainphysics.com/kleptomania.php)
That why people who's diagnose by kleptomania are depressed and some of them are altered state of conscious during the act of stealing.Being depressed also affects their thinking ability because of some effect in our brain that causes them to be confuse.
Going deeper to the topic,the American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition that “kleptomania is a mental disorder”, that is cause by the defect in the nervous system and as for the support of the author of the article entitled “Kleptomania Mental Disorder Moral Failing or Excuse”, by Magda DH that the disorder is accompanied by other psychiatric issues like bipolar or a major depression.Based on the article that kleptomania is defined as, not a normal theft that is stealing for financial problems or for personal gain.The kleptomania is defined as a mental illness that cause by the defect in our brain.
Magda said that, "Kleptomania certainly cannot be seen as a moral failing: one of the defining characteristics of kleptomania is full awareness of the illegal and immoral character of the compulsive stealing".(http://www.lifepaths360.com/index.php/kleptomania-mental-disorder-moral-failing-or-excuse-3882/)
As what Magda said about the kleptomaniac,this also explain the characteristics of the kleptomaniac that after they steal the object they feel guilt and remorse.
However, on an article entitled “Impulse Control Disorders Kleptomania”, by Elizabeth M Young.Parenting dysfunction and head trauma is involve. With the contrary on what American Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition and Magda DH the reason why people steal is not actually the cause of the defect in the brain but rather the as for one of causes of depression that gives thrill to a person to steal things are family problems,social problems.
Young said that,"the acts of stealing result in tension release and gratification, but term "ego dystopia" applies, as the sufferer feels guilt and does not want to steal, but is compelled to steal, anyway."(http://www.sciences360.com/index.php/impulse-control-disorders-kleptomania-11473/)
The tension and gratification are the things that motivates a person to steal that's why even if they don't want to steal they still do because this feeling pushes them to do.
With regard to the behaviour of the kleptomania, Mandi Woodruff talks about the professor who's stealing even though he have a lot of money.As for the researcher research that, the kleptomania are those rich and well educated persons.As for the Mandi, Dr. Cupchik the profesor that she's talking about is a kleptomaniac and for her it is because of being angry to his neighbor, but according to Dr. Cupchik a kleptomaniac is not stealing because his angry but because of his illness.
Woodruff said that there are characteristics of a kleptomaniac:" the strong desire that encourage them to steal things;the stuff that they steal is the things that they can actually afford;they steal because it makes them happy that's why they are doing it again and again;after stealing items they feel guilt and shame on what they did because they know that it is not right;and lastly,they steal not committed to express anger but to give happiness to them."(http://www.businessinsider.com/a-psychologist-wants-to-convince-science-that-kleptomania-doesnt-exist-2012-2)
This is the reason why kleptomania is very difficult to have a treatment because of the many causes of it.But base on the researcher research that the cognitive behavioral therapy is the one that they use to treat the kleptomania that helps a person to become more aware about himself by simply talking to others and sharing his/her problem,but there are also many treatment that they use that base on the cause of kleptomania.
Regarding to the behaviour, Doree Lewak the author of the article “'Tis the season to be... stealing? ."How rise of kleptomania during the holidays affects party hosts as much as department stores”.In this article the author talks about the feelings that the kleptomania felt that because of their stealing habit Sta. Claus will not give them a gift because of their bad attitudes.This will motivate them to steal because of the thought that they are being discriminated.
Lewak said that,"People want to give, so they steal. Giving and stealing aren't that far away. Stealing is a kind of ritual, and giving is a ritual."(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2070217/Tis-season--stealing-How-rise-kleptomania-holidays-affects-party-hosts-department-stores.html).
For some reason giving gift is necessary to us because we want our beloved to be happy.In some way people are doing it even though they don't have enough money as long as their love once are happy they will do every thing even stealing.As the life of the kleptomaniac they experience a sociopath or being discriminated by the society. The feeling of the children that because he steal things sta. Claus did not give him a gift because of his bad attitude.This feeling of frustration can lead to a jealous that pushes him to steal things of others.
Factors influencing kleptomania
A. Social Problems
The normal and stable life of a person or individual affects the comments of other people that could leads them to be depressed and a feeling of downfall because being judgemental and stereotypical thinking of other people. It may also affect their career and their family because of the lost of money when they caught stealing.
However,In an article entitled "kleptomania Overview", by Dr.Craig Freudenrich that there is also a gender bias regarding to this disorder because according to him,
“kleptomania occurs more on women than men because when women steal, they tend to get psychiatric evaluations, while men are sent directly to prison.”
(http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/mental-disorders/kleptomania.htm).
This is because our society today is more protected to the women rather than a man because for the society that a man can actually protect himself but a women cannot. And also there are facts that man usually steal is a item like guns or a thing that is more valuable but women steals only the thing in the grocery stores like sardines, chocolate toothpaste and other stuff that is very affordable.
Base on Dylan Lavene article entitled "Confession of Kleptomaniac", she talks about the boy who's a kleptomaniac since he was a kid.The boy is a sun of a religious people who is more active in their church.As for the boy, became kleptomaniac because of the being shame and humiliated that despite of his father is known as a religious people, the society expect that he also act with moral.But based on what he is doing he chooses to become a theft because he cannot achieve the high expectation of his father and other people to him.But when his father got a work and because of that his father don't have time to go to church.His mother went to other town for an additional income.He became free, happy and stop stealing, but he became addicted in drugs.Based on him he can't go to school without taking weeds and after loosing enough money to buy weeds he go back to stealing.
According to Dr. Jeff Gardere that, " We do see very young children who begin to steal and it is a sign of some emotional disturbance, a lack of permanence in their lives or a psycho-symbolic way to fill the void in their lives,” he also said that, “That void may come from a lack of love from parental figures, or from emotionally unhealthy environments.”(http://www.salon.com/2012/10/10/confessions_of_a_kleptomaniac/)
In this article not only shows the causes of the kleptomaniac but also the things that the parents should to in-order for them to give a right moral for their children.
Continuation by Lars Leetaru on his article entitled"Is My Child a Kleptomaniac?", that "stealing usually starts in as young as child".In his article he talks about why stealing starts from childhood.And this is because they want to try everything that's the parental guidance is considered to be the parents weapon to develop the moral values of their child.
Dr.Klass wrote that,"2-4 year olds will take something, probably because they are struggling with the concept of mine vs. yours and sharing in general. A two year old is not a thief.And 5-8 year olds know the rules of ownership. If they take something that’s not theirs they will hide it, even deny they took it if confronted."
Dr. Klass said that "a pattern of stealing without any remorse can mark a serious problem – and that child needs help right away".
(http://draletta.typepad.com/explorewhatsnext/2009/08/is-my-child-a-kleptomaniac.html)
That is why without parental guidance the life of the child will be prone to stealing and other crimes.
In an article entitled "Derren Brown: 'Most magicians are kleptomaniacs’ ", by Sarah Rainey,she talks about Derren Brown and how he developed his ability of duplicity.As we all know, magicians are masters of deception-- they can misdirect the attention of people, creating an opening for theft.But in the case of Brown he became a magician because he want it to be accepted socially. His skills developed and made him a successful magician. However, the cause of Brown's kleptomania is because of his experience as a magician.
According to Brown that,“he was quite precocious and developed a nose for duplicity, which came from being a bit of a loner.” (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/10081517/Derren-Brown-Most-magicians-are-kleptomaniacs.html)
This article emphasize us that in order to become accepted by the society you should learn to socialized or to become cool or amazing.
B. The Illness and disorder of kleptomaniacs
All the physician and psychologist are having a hard time to know what is the real cause of kleptomania that's the difficulty of this problem is almost impossible to them.
For instance,Jon Grant says that, Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D"this is cause by the defect in the molecule that transports the neurotransmitter serotonin who is responsible for regulating moods and emotional balance".(http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/mental-disorders/kleptomania2.htm)
This is one of the reasons that influence them to steal.Based on the researcher research that the people who is diagnosed by kleptomania is suffering with depression.As what Grant says,. also believe that it is a neurological basis that may cause a head trauma that damage to the circuits between orbital and frontal lobes of the brain.
On an article entitled "The Sexual Root of Kleptomania",Dr.Wilhelm Stekel about the reason why kleptomania is more common in women,The sexual desire of the women.
According to Dr. Stekel," women are more likely to have kleptomania because of their unfulfilled sexual desire". (http://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1093&context=jclc)
Generally, our society's perspective of women are not into sexual acts compared to men. Thus, women's lust accumulates,and as it goes to a level beyond their control, hysteria occurs, leading to kleptomania. Another aspect that may cause kleptomania, is a person's psychological status-- a person with kleptomania may have the capability to buy something that they don't particularly like, but they will choose to take it rather than to purchase it because it helps them have peace of mind.
Misconceptions about kleptomania
a. Kleptomania's cause are known
"There have been no rigorous or conclusive studies on the neurological basis of kleptomania." Its cause are still unknown; but there are possible causes of kleptomania:
- "A defect in a molecule that transports the neurotransmitter serotonin " Serotonin is a part of the brain that regulates a person's emotion. A damage in this part could cause problems in the nervous system. Therefore, a person with kleptomania have impaired judgement.
- "Head trauma: damage to circuits between the orbital and frontal lobes of the brain, or low blood flow to the temporal lobe."
(http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/mental-disorders/kleptomania2.htm)
b. Kleptomania can be prevented and cured
Neurobiology and pharmacological's state in today's time cannot provide evidence in the cause of kleptomania. Moreover, they cannot give cure; but psychologists have tried therapies in helping kleptomaniacs:
- "Covert sensitization: When the patient feels the urge to steal, he must imagine negative consequences until the impulse goes away." A person imaging his/her regret will feel guilt and the desire to take something may subside.
- "Aversion therapy: When the patient feels the urge to steal, he holds his breath until it is slightly painful. Eventually, he associates the unpleasant feelings with the urge, and the impulse to steal diminishes." Compared to the statement earlier, which is something psychological, the pain in this therapy is physically felt; decreasing the desire to steal.
- "Systemic desensitization: The patient undergoes relaxation therapy and learns to substitute relaxing feelings for the urge to steal." The two therapies mentioned earlier involved pain either mentally or physically. However, this therapy includes relaxation that may also reduce the urge to steal.
(http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/mental-disorders/kleptomania2.htm)
