Pyromania is a serious mental health condition characterized by intentionally and repetitively setting firesand doing so compulsively.
People with pyromania feel unable to stop the behavior.
Setting a fire releases inner tension or anxiety and gives the person a rush of pleasure or relief.
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At a Glance
Pyromania is an impulse control disorder.
It isn’t the same as arson, which involves setting fires for personal gain.
People with pyromania have an uncontrollable compulsion to set fires to relieve feelings of tension.
Treatments focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy to help people control the thoughts that lead to fire-setting behaviors.
The essential feature of pyromania is the presence of multiple episodes of deliberate and purposeful fire setting.
In addition, individuals with pyromania experience tension and affect arousal before setting a fire.
Other symptoms may include:
People with pyromania do not set fires for monetary gain.
They also arent trying to conceal criminal activity, gain vengeance, or improve their living situation.
The symptoms also cannot be in response to delusions or hallucinations.
The fire setting also cannot stem from impaired judgment, such as an intellectual disability.
People with pyromania may make considerable advance preparation for setting fires.
Pyromania vs.
They are motivated because of the emotions they experience when they set fires.
What Causes Pyromania?
There isn’t a single known cause of pyromania.
People who have certain other mental illnesses may be at a higher risk than the general population.
How Prevalent Is Pyromania?
Its not known exactly how many people have pyromania.
Researchers estimate it only affects a very small portion of the population, however.
The prevalence of pyromania is unknown.
Its more common in people who have learning disabilities or lack social skills.
Most people with pyromania started setting fires during adolescence or early adulthood.
People who have a history of crime also tend to display more fire-setting tendencies.
There isnt a typical age of onset for pyromania.
It may be identified during childhood, but its unclear if pyromania lasts into adulthood.
Fire-setting behaviors often come and go in people with pyromania.
Pyromania may be identified during childhood.
Fire setting in adolescents is often associated withconduct disorder,ADHD, or anadjustment disorder.
For some people, treating those symptoms may help improve impulse control and reduce the urge to start fires.
Recap
Cognitive behavioral therapy is considered the first-line treatment option at this time.
Takeaway
Pyromania isnt a joking matter, nor is it something to treat lightly.
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