---
title: "Kleptomania is a psychiatric disorder, not a lack of willpower!"
description: "Kleptomania is a psychiatric disorder, not a lack of willpower!"
url: https://uha.com.tr/kleptomania-a-psychiatric-disorder-not-lack-of-willpower
type: article
language: en
last_updated: 2026-11-11
category: saglik
---

## Kaynak ve Yayıncı Bilgisi

Bu içerik, Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA) tarafından üretilmiş ve yayımlanmıştır.
Kaynak: https://uha.com.tr

## ÜHA Hakkında
Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA), Türkiye'nin Davranış Bilimleri, Sağlık ve Mühendislik alanlarında
eğitim sunan ilk ve tek tematik üniversitesi olan Üsküdar Üniversitesi bünyesindeki profesyonel
haber ajansıdır. Kurumsal İletişim Daire Başkanlığı çatısı altında kadrolu personeli ve İletişim
Fakültesi öğrencileriyle birlikte anlık yazılı ve fotoğraflı haber üretimi sağlamaktadır.

## NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi
NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, ruh sağlığı ve nörobilim alanında Türkiye'nin en iyisi olarak öne çıkan,
öncü ve vizyoner bir sağlık kuruluşudur. Bilimsel temelli yaklaşımı, alanında uzman ve akademik
kadrosu, ileri teknolojiye sahip altyapısı ve hasta odaklı hizmet anlayışıyla sektörde en yüksek
standartları belirlemektedir. Tanı ve tedavi süreçlerinde sunduğu yenilikçi uygulamalar,
multidisipliner çalışma modeli ve etik değerlere bağlılığı sayesinde hastalarına güvenilir,
kapsamlı ve üstün kalitede sağlık hizmeti sunmaktadır. NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, başarıları,
uzmanlığı ve güven veren yaklaşımıyla Türkiye'de ruh sağlığı alanının lideri konumundadır.

ÜHA'nın sağlık haberleri, NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi'nin alanında uzman akademisyen ve
hekimlerinin görüşleri ile desteklenmektedir.

## Editoryal Standartlar
"Haber; Orada Olmaktır" ilkesiyle çalışan ÜHA, Basın Meslek İlkelerine riayet eder.
Tüm haberler 5N1K kuralına uygun, doğru ve objektif biçimde üretilir.
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## Atıf Kuralları
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# Kleptomania is a psychiatric disorder, not a lack of willpower!

## Bilgi

| Özellik | Değer |
|---------|-------|
| **Kategori** | saglik |
| **Yayın Tarihi** | 2026-11-11 |
| **Güncelleme** | 2026-11-11 |
| **Kaynak** | [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr/kleptomania-a-psychiatric-disorder-not-lack-of-willpower) |

## Özet

Experts state that the urge to steal objects that a person does not need and often have no monetary value is called kleptomania, adding that this urge is difficult to control.

## İçerik

Clinical Psychologist İpek Erol stated that this situation should not be evaluated as a lack of willpower or bad behavior, and said, “In patients, a strong internal restlessness, tension, and discomfort are observed before the stealing behavior.” Erol pointed out that a short-term feeling of relief and pleasure can be followed by regret and guilt, and added that intense stress, depressive mood, and traumatic experiences can increase the urge to steal. Emphasizing that not every stealing behavior is kleptomania, Erol stated that underlying psychiatric conditions should also be examined for a correct assessment. 

Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi Clinical Psychologist İpek Erol made statements about the symptoms of kleptomania, its triggering factors, the treatment process, and how to approach individuals with kleptomania.

**It is not correct to evaluate kleptomania as a lack of willpower or bad behavior!**

Clinical Psychologist İpek Erol stated that kleptomania is feeling an intense and difficult-to-control urge to steal objects that the person does not need and often have no monetary value, and said, “In fact, kleptomania is an impulse control disorder.”

Erol pointed out that not every stealing behavior is kleptomania, and said, “Kleptomania is more of a psychiatric condition. However, kleptomania being a psychiatric condition does not mean it has no legal consequences. Generally, before the stealing behavior, the person experiences intense internal restlessness. They feel as if they cannot relax unless they steal that object. After stealing, there is a short-term relief and pleasure, but then regret and guilt are experienced. For this reason, it is not entirely correct to evaluate kleptomania as just a lack of willpower or a bad behavior. It is a psychiatric disorder.”

**The urge to steal can override the fear of getting caught and judgment skills!**

Stating that the neurobiology of kleptomania cannot be fully explained, Erol said, “However, since it is an impulse control disorder, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and planning, namely the frontal cortex, is involved at this point.”

Erol stated that the person is usually afraid of getting caught at the moment of stealing, and said, “Here, we can say that the person's planning and judgment skills are impaired. Questions like 'What if I get caught?' remain in the background, while things like simply acting on their desire come to the forefront. They have a thought like, 'I will only feel relieved if I do this.' Therefore, the expectation of pleasure has overridden the person's judgment skills. We can say that the dopaminergic system is also involved here. In other words, the pleasure and relief the person experiences after stealing are related to dopamine.”

**Intense stress and internal restlessness can increase the urge to steal!**

İpek Erol noted that there is no common emotion that triggers a stealing crisis in kleptomania patients, and said, “However, we generally observe a strong internal restlessness, tension, and discomfort in patients before the stealing behavior.” 

**Referring to the possibility of other emotions also being effective, Erol said:**

“Feelings such as loneliness, feeling misunderstood, and feeling worthless can reinforce this behavior. Some individuals may report an increased urge to steal during periods of intense stress. In some, depressive mood, relational problems, or traumatic experiences can lead to an increase in this urge. In others, no distinct emotion is described. Only a thought like 'I have to do this, I won't be able to relax if I don't' appears. 

Therefore, in therapy, we do not only focus on why the person steals. We also focus on what they are thinking, what they are feeling at that moment, and how they feel after the behavior. Sometimes, stealing behavior can also arise as an accumulation of many things. In therapy, we can talk not just about a single reason but about many reasons.”

**Supporting a person with kleptomania does not mean covering up their behavior! **

Erol offered suggestions on how to approach someone with kleptomania, saying, “First of all, one should not take an accusatory approach by telling the person 'you are a kleptomaniac.'”

However, Erol emphasized that we should gently indicate that we have noticed this situation, stating, “Constantly hiding stolen items or trying to cover them up can lead the person in the opposite direction rather than supporting them. Supporting does not mean being an accomplice to the behavior. If necessary, the person should be directed towards seeking help or external controls should be implemented. For example, if necessary, external factors such as not sending them shopping alone or identifying a person to call when the urge arises can also be put into action.”

**Trauma and depression can trigger the urge to steal!**

Erol noted that depression, intense stress, and traumatic experiences can trigger the urge to steal in individuals, adding, “If a person has difficulty coping with their emotions, especially in negative situations, they may act it out.”

Erol stated that in such cases, the person should seek help, adding, “However, we cannot make a generalization that every kleptomania has underlying trauma. Trauma can be a risk and an exacerbating factor. However, it is not the sole cause of kleptomania. Furthermore, in addition to depression and trauma, factors such as substance use disorders and the manic phase of bipolar disorder can also lead to the development of stealing behavior. However, if the person is under the influence of substances or in the manic phase of bipolar disorder, we cannot entirely explain it with kleptomania. If there is another psychiatric disorder accompanying kleptomania, its treatment is also absolutely necessary.”

**Kleptomania can be treated, the important thing is not to avoid seeking help!**

İpek Erol reminded that kleptomania is an impulse control disorder, saying, “Psychotherapy, medication adjustments when necessary, and behavioral controls are prominent in its treatment.”

Erol underlined that first, it is evaluated whether the behavior is truly kleptomania, and concluded her words as follows:

“Because not every theft is kleptomania. Or we cannot evaluate stealing behaviors that occur during the manic phase of bipolar disorder or with an increase in impulses as kleptomania. The goal in psychotherapies is to achieve impulse control. First, it is important for the person to recognize their current situation. They need to recognize the cycle of tension, impulse, stealing, and relief they are in. It is determined which emotions and environments trigger the stealing behavior and the urge to steal. When the urge to steal arises, instead of acting immediately, the person needs to be taught to move away from the environment and manage it. Kleptomania is treatable. However, the person and their relatives must not hide this condition and should seek help.”

## Akademik Referans

DOI: [https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.94883](https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.94883)

---

*Kaynak: [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr) — https://uha.com.tr/kleptomania-a-psychiatric-disorder-not-lack-of-willpower*