Skip to main content

PYROMANIA

By

PYROMANIA

The recurrent, deliberate, and purposeful setting of fires.

Associated features

  • Tension or affective arousal before setting the fires.
  • Interest in fire and the actions and tools coupled with firefighting.
  • Gratification, or relief setting fires or witnessing the aftermaths.

Patients make substantial advance arrangements.

Epidemiology

Eight times more frequent in men compared to women

Comorbidity

  • Substance abuse disorders
  • Affective disorders
  • Other impulse control disorders
  • Personality disturbances e.g. borderline personality disorder.
  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
  • Learning disabilities

History of

  • Enuresis
  • Antisocial acts, such as truancy and delinquency

Aetiology

Psychosocial. 

  • A symbol of sexuality. 
  • Abnormal craving for power and social prestige 
  • Retaliation about the absence of the father
  • Volunteering as a firefighter to vent the frustration
  • Promiscuity and kleptomania in females

Biological Factors. 

  • Low CSF levels of 5-HIAA and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG)
  • Reactive hypoglycemia, based on blood glucose concentrations on glucose tolerance tests

Diagnosis and Clinical Features

Persons with pyromania often regularly watch fires in their neighbourhoods, frequently set off false alarms, and show interest in firefighting paraphernalia. Their curiosity is clear, but they show no remorse and may be indifferent to the consequences for life or property. Firesetters may gain satisfaction from the resulting destruction; frequently, they leave obvious clues. Commonly associated features include alcohol intoxication, sexual dysfunctions, below-average intelligence quotient (IQ), chronic personal frustration, and resentment toward authority figures. Some fire setters become sexually aroused by the fire.

Differential Diagnosis

Arson 

Firesetting for financial gain, revenge, or other motivations, prepared in advance.

Conduct disorder

Studies associate pyromania with a history of antisocial acts, such as truancy and delinquency People with antisocial personality or conduct set fire as an intentional act. They may set fires for profit or retaliation, etc.

Schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia or mania may set fires in response to delusions or hallucinations.

Comments

Post a Comment

Your Thoughts?

Popular posts from this blog

ICD-11 Criteria for Depression (Recurrent Depressive Disorder) 6A71

By
ICD-11 Criteria for Depression (Recurrent Depressive Disorder) 6A71 Recurrent depressive disorder is characterised by a history or at least two depressive episodes separated by at least several months without significant mood disturbance. A depressive episode is characterised by a period of depressed mood or diminished interest in activities occurring most of the day, nearly every day during a period lasting at least two weeks accompanied by other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt, hopelessness, recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, changes in appetite or sleep, psychomotor agitation or retardation, and reduced energy or fatigue. There have never been any prior manic, hypomanic, or mixed episodes, which would indicate the presence of a Bipolar disorder. Inclusions:                Seasonal depressive disorder Exclusions:    ...
Post a Comment
Read more

ICD-11 Criteria for Single Episode Depressive Disorder (Depressive Episode) (6A70)

By
ICD-11 Criteria for Single Episode Depressive Disorder (Depressive Episode) (6A70) Single episode depressive disorder is characterised by the presence or history of one depressive episode when there is no history of prior depressive episodes. A depressive episode is characterised by a period of depressed mood or diminished interest in activities occurring most of the day, nearly every day during a period lasting at least two weeks accompanied by other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt, hopelessness, recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, changes in appetite or sleep, psychomotor agitation or retardation, and reduced energy or fatigue. There have never been any prior manic, hypomanic, or mixed episodes, which would indicate the presence of a bipolar disorder. Exclusions:              Recurrent depressive disorder (6A71) Adjustment disorder (6B43) Bipolar...
Post a Comment
Read more

ICD-11 Criteria for Bipolar Type-1 Disorder

By
ICD-11 Criteria for Bipolar Type-1 Disorder    6A60     Bipolar type I disorder is an episodic mood disorder defined by the occurrence of one or more manic or mixed episodes. A manic episode is an extreme mood state lasting at least one week unless shortened by a treatment intervention characterised by euphoria, irritability, or expansiveness, and by increased activity or a subjective experience of increased energy, accompanied by other characteristic symptoms such as rapid or pressured speech, flight of ideas, increased self-esteem or grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, impulsive or reckless behaviour, and rapid changes among different mood states (i.e., mood lability). A mixed episode is characterised by the presence of several prominent manic and several prominent depressive symptoms consistent with those observed in manic episodes and depressive episodes, which either occur simultaneously or alternate very rapidly (from day to day or with...
Post a Comment
Read more