A psychological disorder in which a person has an irresistible urge to steal, often without regard for the object's value.
Greek kleptein (to steal) + mania (obsession or madness). Coined in the 19th century to describe a newly recognized mental condition where stealing becomes compulsive rather than rational.
Cleptomania is fascinating because it reveals the brain can develop an obsession with the *act* of stealing rather than wanting the object—some people's brains literally can't stop even when they're wealthy.
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