Pyromania

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Pyromania: Definition Pyromania is an obsession with fire and starting fires, in an intentional fashion, usually on multiple occasions. It should be contrasted with other acts of arson. To qualify as true pyromania, the fire must not be done for personal gain, monetary or otherwise, or as an act of revenge or psychotic episode.

In all cases, the fire, or its aftermath and process, is the intent. Those afflicted with pyromania experience tremendous joy and gratification in not only the act of setting fires, but also the institutions of fire control — fire stations, firefighters, fire-suppression systems, etc.

Nearly half of those arrested for arson in the United States are under age 18, though in many of these cases, the fire setting does not result from pyromania, but instead other behavioral factors.

Pyromania: Description The occurrence of pyromania, reported by DSM-IV, is "rare." Most people who identify themselves as pyromaniacs do not realise that fire is aesthetically pleasing to many people and that just liking how fire looks doesn't make one a pyromaniac.

A bona fide diagnosis of pyromania will be made only when all other exclusionary factors have been ruled out.

Further information on pyromania can be found on page 669 of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV-TR.

Pyromania involves deliberate and purposeful fire setting on at least two occasions. There is typically tension or heightened arousal prior to the act and gratification or relief afterward. The fire setting is not done for monetary gain or an expression of anger, vengeance, personal gain, or psychosis.

Treatment typically involves behavior modification. Other treatment approaches involve seeing the setting of fires as an unconscious process and analyzing it as such may assist in gaining insight and eventually extinguishing the behavior.

Prognosis is fair to poor, but can increase with a positive therapeutic relationship and a strong motivation to change the behavior. Pyromania often goes untreated and results in legal difficulties.

• Deliberate fire-setting on more than one occasion
• Tension or affective excitement before the act
• Obsession with and about fire
• Pleasure and gratification by the act.
• Fascination or attraction to fire and objects, people, or situations around fire

Pyromania is an impulse to set fires. A person with such an impulse is said to be a "pyromaniac". In colloquial English, the synonym "firebug" is sometimes used, and in fact means exactly the same thing as "pyromaniac".

Most children go through a stage where they like to see fire. This is normal. If they are taught about fire safety, supervised children can assist adults around a campfire. Some children still manage to sometimes sneak away and play with fire. This is frightening, but it is not a psychiatric disorder.

A person with pyromania does not set fires for money, to express political beliefs, to hide signs of a crime, or to show anger. It is not pyromania if someone sets a fire in response to a delusion or hallucination. It is also not pyromania if the person setting the fire is in the manic phase of bipolar disorder, has a conduct disorder, or has an antisocial personality disorder. A true pyromaniac just likes fire.

People with this disorder may have poor social skills. Many have learning problems. Pyromaniacs tend to plan in advance to start fires. Many of them like to watch any fire they can. They may like to set off fire alarms. People with pyromania often do not seem to care about the loss of property, the injuries, or even the deaths that result from fires.

Main articles

Main article: Pyromania - History of the disorder.

Main article: Pyromania - Theoretical approaches.

Main article: Pyromania - Epidemiology.

Main article: Pyromania - Risk factors.

Main article: Pyromania - Etiology.

Main article: Pyromania - Assessment.

Main article: Pyromania - Comorbidity.

Main article: Pyromania - Treatment.

Main article: Pyromania - Relapse prevention

Main article: Pyromania - Prognosis.

Main article: Pyromania - Service user page.

Main article: Pyromania - Carer page.

External links

Instructions_for_archiving_academic_and_professional_materials

Pyromania: Academic support materials

• Pyromania: Lecture slides
• Pyromania: Lecture notes
• Pyromania: Lecture handouts
• Pyromania: Multimedia materials
• Pyromania: Other academic support materials
• Pyromania: Anonymous fictional case studies for training

Pyromania: Epidemiology

Pyromania in children is rare.

Juvenile fire setting is usually associated with other conditions such as Conduct Disorder, ADHD, or Adjustment Disorder.

Pyromania occurs more commonly in males, especially those with poor social skills and learning difficulties.

• Pyromania: incidence
• Pyromania: prevalence
• Pyromania: morbidity
• Pyromania: mortality
• Pyromania: racial distribution
• Pyromania: age distribution
• Pyromania: sex distribution

Pyromania: Risk factors

• Pyromania: known evidence of risk factors
• Pyromania: theories of possible risk factors

Pyromania: Etiology

• Pyromania: known evidence of causes
• Pyromania: theories of possible causes

Pyromania: Diagnosis & evaluation

• Pyromania: psychological tests
• Pyromania: differential diagnosis
• Pyromania: evaluation protocols

Pyromania: Treatment

• outcome studies
• Pyromania: treatment protocols
• Pyromania: treatment considerations
• Pyromania: evidenced based treatment
• Pyromania: theory based treatment
• Pyromania: team working considerations
• Pyromania: followup

Pyromania: For people with this difficulty

• Pyromania: user:how to get help
• Pyromania: user:self help materials
• Pyromania: user:useful reading
• Pyromania: user:useful websites

Pyromania: For their carers

Pyromania is extremely dangerous to the person with the disorder as well as to others. If you suspect that someone you care about may have pyromania, ask your primary healthcare provider for a referral to a mental health professional as soon as possible.

• Pyromania: carer:how to get help
• Pyromania:carer:useful reading
• Pyromania: carer:useful websites

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