Buying Behaviour: A Need or a Disorder - Research Paper Example

Stealing by kleptomaniacs is of objects that are not necessarily valuable. The objects that a kleptomaniac steals are disposed off, hoarded, given away or returned. Even though they do not consume the object or steal it for any personal gain, they feel guilty or depressed soon after the feeling of relief that accompanies the stealing. Studies show that mostly kleptomaniacs are women and the onset of this disease is in adolescence or in an even younger age. Majority of kleptomaniacs steal from stores and like most people with an obsessive compulsive disorder, they fail at stopping their misdemeanor and experience gratification on committing the act.

Mostly they are just chided for their behavior but at times they are jailed. Also, it is very different from the term ‘shoplifting’ because shoplifters steal for some gain and they actually consume the object rather than suffer from some psychological dysfunction that compels them to steal. Hence, shoplifters are fully liable for their actions because they have full control over themselves. (Grant) Also in the case of kleptomaniacs, treatment is necessary to overcome this disorder instead of punishing because the person with the disorder is also helpless in the face of his obsessive compulsion.

Also called “pathological stealing,” it is not the person’s fault that they commit crime, unlike thieves who may use this excuse to get out of jail or evade any other punishment. There is a disconnect between their brain’s processing of information and the neural messenger of the brain, serotonin, which is lower in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder. There are many treatments for this disease but one cannot be sure that the treatment is working and it needs to be implemented over long periods of time.

All those who steal for some purpose are merely just thieves because their intent is to consume or otherwise make use of the value of the object. (Kleptomania) The degrees of OCD and kleptomania vary from individual to individual. On one end, people with OCD can carry on living without anybody realizing and they have certain compulsions which they deal with in privacy. Others go through more frequent lapses, with periods of remission in between. This disease as others affects family members and they have to become involved to keep a check on their loved ones.

Not many people have OCD but for those who do, about 10% experience this disorder as being a deterrent to anything they do. They build up rituals that do not make sense and that only brings a temporary sense of relief so that they need to keep gratifying themselves by indulging in that act again and again. And if this disorder is not dealt with, it may continue forever. (Zamula) There are also many different kinds of OCD. Such as kleptomania, there are people who may indulge in obsessive hoarding including hoarding of animals, impulse buying etc.

And even though there are predetermined symptoms that help in diagnosing this disorder or recognizing it, there a great deal of subtle symptoms as well that many people would display. Thus, family members should keep an eye out for eccentric behavior that could lead to pointing out this disorder. Furthermore, it is also not a cultural disorder