Naltrexone treatment of kleptomania: a case report

Kleptomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by a recurrent failure to resist the impulse to steal worthless objects that are not needed for personal use. Very little is known about the etiology, prevalence and treatment. This disorder usually begins during puberty and lasts until late adulthood. In some patients, it may last throughout the person's life. Patients with kleptomania are likely to suffer from comorbid conditions like mood disorders. The patients usually seek treatment for the comorbid psychiatric complaints, rather than the kleptomaniac behavior itself. The literature lacks sufficient knowledge and controlled studies about the treatment of kleptomania. Regarding the treatment of SSRIs, there are case reports and case series, using mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and opioid antagonists. Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques are also used in the treatment of kleptomania. In this study, a female patient is presented with diminishing kleptomaniac symptoms after naltrexone is added to her cognitive behavioral therapy and fluoxetine treatment. She also suffers from the comorbidities of major depressive disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.