Impulse Control Disorder: A Pilot Study of the Difficulties for Rehabilitation

Kleptomania is an impulse control disorder. It refers to an irresistible compulsion to steal, motivated by neurotic impulse rather than material need. For Kleptomaniacs, stealing is not about money; it is about feeling and the rush of lairing on the edge. People with kleptomania has long been ignored by the frontline workers and even the policy makers as the actual number of these people is not realistic and reflective. Very often, kleptomania run away with the treatment at an earlier date as fearing that the treatment providers would notify the police. More often, the judiciary does not have sufficient measures to deal with their case as the notion of kleptomania is not an easy case to define and follow. Thus, most of these people may have to face the painful consequences, like probation and even Imprisonment. Nevertheless, the possible way-out for these clients is rehabilitation instead of imprisonment. Kleptomania often does not involve in one single offence, but whether the subjects are willing to disclose the related statistics is a question. This paper would like to take kleptomania as a case study to review the forcing factors which have influenced the statistics are far higher than the official data with reasons. The present study will try to explain the reasons and recommend effective methods to motivate a possible way-out.