Pyromania is a type of impulse control disorder that manifests itself in the literature as an inability to resist a fire. People with pyromania know that setting fires is harmful. But setting a fire is the only way to relieve their accumulated tension and anxiety. People suffering from pyromania feel satisfaction or relief after having a fire.
Pyromania can often be misnamed by people. One of the biggest of these misconceptions is to consider an arsonist or anyone who sets a fire to be a pyromaniac. Pyromania is often used synonymously with the terms arson or incendiary, but the terms are quite different. While pyromania is a psychiatric condition, arson is a crime. This extremely rare psychological disorder is not a well-researched disorder because it is so rare. Therefore, its cause or treatment is not yet known exactly.
Symptoms of pyromaniac disorder:
Someone with pyromania will start a fire as often as about once every 6 weeks. Symptoms begin in adolescence and can last into adulthood. You can read about other symptoms of pyromania below:
- An uncontrollable urge to start a fire
- The admiration for fires and their paraphernalia
- Pleasure, haste, or relaxation while setting or seeing a fire
- Nervousness or excitement about the start of a fire
Causes of pyromania
The exact cause of pyromania is not yet known. Similar to other mental health conditions, pyromania is thought to be related to certain imbalances in brain chemicals, stressors, or genetics.
In general, there can be many reasons for starting a fire without a diagnosis of pyromania. We have listed these reasons below:
- Other psychiatric disorders: People with pyromania often have other psychiatric problems. These may be anxiety, substance abuse, addiction, depression, attention deficit disorder, mood disorders, or learning difficulties.
- Heredity: Pyromania is a type of impulse control disorder. Studies have shown that such disorders have a genetic component. People with impulse control disorders such as pyromania are much more likely than other people to have relatives with psychiatric disorders.
- Brain chemicals: Your brain produces chemicals that control how you think, act, and feel. People with a chemical imbalance in their brain may be more susceptible to pyromania.
- Stressors: Pyromania can be linked to stressful events such as a major loss or child abuse.
- Triggers: Sometimes triggers such as a thought or medication can cause changes in your brain chemicals. This may lead you to associate starting a fire with feeling good.
Pyromania and genetics
Although research on the disorder is limited due to the rarity of cases of pyromania, impulsivity of pyromania can be considered inherited. This situation is not limited to pyromania. Many mental disorders are considered moderately inherited. Dopamine and serotonin, which help regulate impulse control, can be influenced by our genes.
Pyromania is not usually diagnosed until age 18, but symptoms of pyromania can begin to appear during adolescence. Some scientific reports suggest that the onset of pyromania can occur in individuals at the age of 3 years. The acts of burning something as a child, which can be considered as the beginning of pyromania, can occur in children for many reasons and should not be tired of pyromania 100 percent.
Who is at risk for pyromania?
As we have said a lot before, pyromania is a very rare disorder. For this reason, it has not been studied as extensively as other conditions. According to research so far, pyromania has been associated with:
- Men are much more likely to be pyromantic than women
- Having a lower than normal intelligence
- Having a mood disorder
- Being mistreated as a child
- Having attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder
- Domestic stress
Diagnosis of pyromania
As we mentioned above, pyromania is rarely diagnosed due to a lack of research. It is often difficult to diagnose because of the difficulty of the diagnosis, as a pyromantic individual must actively seek help and most people think they do not need it.
Some cases of pyromania may be diagnosed after going for treatment for a different condition, such as a mood disorder such as depression. However, the diagnosis of this ailment should be made by a professional. For this reason, we recommend that you consult a professional if the fire brings out the above feelings in you. Remember, psychological disorders are not something to be ashamed of and can be treated.
Pyromania treatment
Pyromania can become chronic if left untreated, so it is extremely important for pyromaniac individuals to seek help. There is no single treatment recommended by doctors for this condition. The treatment of pyromania, as with any disease, may vary from person to person. For this reason, it may take time to find the best combination for the pyromaniac seeking help. Below you can find some options used in the treatment of pyromania.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Other behavioral therapies such as avoidance therapy
- Antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Anxiety medications (anxiolytics)
- Antiepileptic drugs
- Atypical antipsychotics
- Lithium
- Anti-androgens
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps work on a person’s impulses and triggers. Doctors also help their patients find their own coping techniques to deal with their impulses. Also, if a child is diagnosed with pyromania, joint therapy with their parents or parent education may be required.
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