Kleptomania (from Greek: κλέπτειν, kleptein, "to steal", and μανία, "mania") is an irresistible urge to steal items of trivial value. People with this disorder are compelled to steal things, generally, but not limited to, objects of little or no significant value, such as pens, paper clips, paper and tape. Some kleptomaniacs may not even be aware that they have committed the theft^{[dubious – discuss]}.

Kleptomania was first officially recognized in the US as a mental disorder in the 1960s^{[citation needed]} in the case of State of California v. Douglas Jones.^{[citation needed]}

Kleptomania is distinguished from shoplifting or ordinary theft, as shoplifters and thieves generally steal for monetary value, or associated gains and usually display intent or premeditation, while kleptomaniacs are not necessarily contemplating the value of the items they steal or even the theft until they are compelled without motive.

Increasing brain research and clinical work indicate that shoplifting and stealing can become addictive-compulsive disorders.^{[citation needed]} Hence, the terms "shoplifting addiction" or "theft addiction" or "compulsive theft or stealing" have gained popularity and credence recently.^{[citation needed]} There even are books^{[citation needed]} and support groups^{[citation needed]} devoted to recovery from addictive-compulsive shoplifting or stealing. Most "theft addicts" are neither kleptomaniacs nor typical criminals who steal for profit or due to sociopathic or characterological issues.^[1]

This disorder usually manifests during puberty^{[citation needed]} and, in some cases, may last throughout the person's life.^[2]

People with this disorder are likely to have a comorbid condition, specifically paranoid, schizoid or borderline personality disorder.^[3] Kleptomania can occur after traumatic brain injury and/or carbon monoxide poisoning.^[4][5]

Kleptomania is usually thought of as part of the obsessive-compulsive disorder spectrum, although emerging evidence suggests that it may be more similar to addictive and mood disorders. In particular, this disorder is frequently co-morbid with substance use disorders, and it is common for individuals with kleptomania to have first-degree relatives who suffer from a substance use disorder.^[6]

Relationship to OCD[link]

Kleptomania is frequently thought of as being a part of obsessive-compulsive disorder, since the irresistible and uncontrollable actions are similar to the frequently excessive, unnecessary and unwanted rituals of OCD. Some individuals with kleptomania demonstrate hoarding symptoms that resemble those with OCD.^[7]

Prevalence rates between the two disorders do not demonstrate a strong relationship. Studies examining the comorbidity of OCD in subjects with kleptomania have inconsistent results, with some showing a relatively high co-occurrence (45%-60%)^[8][9] while others demonstrate low rates (0%-6.5%).^[10][11] Similarly, when rates of kleptomania have been examined in subjects with OCD, a relatively low co-occurrence was found (2.2%-5.9%).^[12][13]

References[link]

Masha Tupitsyn is a writer and cultural critic based in New York City. Tupitsyn's writing mainly focuses on contemporary cinema and experiments with form and genre, using diverse media like Twitter, video essays, and Tumblr to produce innovative work. Recurring themes in her work include gender, sexuality, spectatorship, childhood, time, the human face, the politics of beauty and acting, screen persona, love, and the relationship between onscreen and offscreen in 21st Century culture.^[1][2]

Tupitsyn's most recent book of film criticism, LACONIA: 1,200 Tweets on Film, was written entirely on twitter between the years 2009-2010, and was subsequently published as a print book by Zer0 Books^[3] in 2011. LACONIA: 1,200 Tweets on Film uses social media to explore the changing ways that we consume and construct narrative in the 21st century.^[4][5][6][7]

Tupitsyn's current projects include Love Dog, a multi-media book project that takes love as its focal point. Love Dog uses diverse disciplines like philosophy, literature, film, and music, blending personal reflection, cultural criticism, feminism, and visual media to reflect on the discourse of love using digital forms. She is also working on a book on John Cusack called Star Notes: John Cusack and The Politics of Acting

Tupitsyn received her B.A. in Literature and Cultural Studies from The New School for Social Research and her MA in Literature and Cultural Theory from the University of Sussex in England. She is currently a PhD candidate in philosophy at the European Graduate School.

Books[link]

• LACONIA: 1,200 Tweets on Film, published by Zer0 Books (2011)^[8]
• Life As We Show It: Writing on Film, Published by City Lights (2009) (co-edited with filmmaker and writer Brian Pera) ^[9][10][11]

• Beauty Talk and Monsters, Published by Semiotext(e), Native Agents (2007)^[12]

Selected Articles and Stories[link]

• "Time for Nothing" a radio play for Performa 11, November, 2011
• "Solace," Specter Magazine, October, 2011
• "In the Time of Fear: On the Films of Ingmar Bergman and Derek Jarman," Keyframe, October, 2011
• "All An Act,” from Star Notes: John Cusack and The Politics of Acting, Boing Boing, September 2011
• "Prettier in Pink," Ryeberg Curated Video, August 2011
• “David Bowie and Mark Zuckerberg Play With Time,” Ryeberg Curated Video, February, 2011
• "Lost Highway," Ryeberg Curated Video, April, 2011 "
• “Love Story,” Ryeberg Curated Video, December, 2010 “Screen to Screen,”
• “I Touch Myself,” Ryeberg Curated Video, March, 2010
• “Untitled (On Devils),” The Rumpus, July, 2009
• "Kleptomania," (Beauty Talk & Monsters), 2008
• "Movie Men (Beauty Talk & Monsters)," NYFA Current, March, 2007
• “Houses (or The Uncanny Glows in the Dark)," (Beauty Talk & Monsters). Drunken boat, Issue 8, September, 2006

References[link]