Pyromania

Category

Impulse Control Disorders

Etiology

Little is known about the etiology of pyromania, although there is research supporting an environmental component from early childhood.

Symptoms

Pyromania involves deliberate and purposeful fire setting on at lease 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

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

Prognosis

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 and has a strong connection with adult antisocial behavior.