Pyromania

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For the album by Def Leppard, see Pyromania (album)

Pyromania is an obsession with fire and starting fires in an intentional fashion. In colloquial English, the synonym "firebug" is sometimes used. Pyromaniacs are identified specifically as not having any other symptoms but obsession with fire causing their behavior. It is distinct from arson, and pyromaniacs are also distinct from those who start fires because of psychoses, for personal, monetary or political gain, or for acts of revenge. Pyromaniacs start fires to induce euphoria, and often tend to fixate on institutions of fire control: fire stations, firefighters, etc.

1 Symptoms & Demographics
2 Treatment
3 References
4 External links

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Symptoms & Demographics

Pyromania tends to occur among young people; though almost half of arsons are caused by those under 18 in the United States, fire starting for its own sake is far rarer. Most children normally go through stages of attraction to fire, and most of the time such fascination is a sign of immaturity or boredom.<ref>Further information on pyromania can be found on page 669 of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV-TR.</ref> The word is often misused, being used for a mild enjoyment around starting a small blaze. Pyromania occurs more commonly in males, especially those with learning and social disabilities (e.g. Bipolar disorder, ADHD, depression). In the absence of other disorders mental and physical, the symptoms of pyromania include:

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

There are four main types of pyromania, these four types include, the curious type, the trouble, the delinquent, and the disturbed. The curious type usually start from ages 2-7. They see their adult figures lighting a cigarette or a candle and try to immitate the action. The troubled type, play alone, are very shy, wet their beds, stutter etc. The Delinquent type have a history in pyromania and are usually arsonists. And the disturbed are of a small percentage but are pyromaniacs due to mental illnesses.

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Treatment

Behavior modification is the usual treatment for pyromania; other approaches include the unconscious setting of trees on fire and analyzing it to gain insight into its cause and end the behavior.

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