1 / 16

“Fire does. Fire is.” Pyromania

“Fire does. Fire is.” Pyromania. Alex Mardlin Psychology. Essential Features. Deliberate fire setting on multiple occasions Not for money, anger, or to cover up a crime Not caused by delusion, hallucination, etc. Fascination with and attraction to fire Anxiety before setting a fire

gefen
Download Presentation

“Fire does. Fire is.” Pyromania

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. “Fire does. Fire is.” Pyromania Alex Mardlin Psychology

  2. Essential Features • Deliberate fire setting on multiple occasions • Not for money, anger, or to cover up a crime • Not caused by delusion, hallucination, etc. • Fascination with and attraction to fire • Anxiety before setting a fire • Relieved after the fire is set (Raahat, 2011)

  3. Associated Features • Generally younger • Generally men • Isolated from community and family • Running away from home • Sexual perversions (Raahat, 2011)

  4. Axis • Axis I disorder • Impulse control disorder • No elsewhere classified • Clinical Disorder • Acute symptoms and need treatment (Axis I, 2013) (American Psychiatric Association, 2000)

  5. Causes for Fascination • Simply enjoy fire for what it is • Fascinated with how it breaths, feeds, grows • Almost like it is alive • Craving for power (Raahat, 2011)

  6. Case Study • 20-year-old homeless man named “JO” • Normal characteristics of a pyromaniac • Isolated from family/community • As a child • Set a barn on fire • Admitted to “laughing while setting individuals on fire with lighter fluid” (Parks, 2005)

  7. Case Study • Cognitively impaired (mental status exam) • Short term memory and concentration • Delusions of people talking about and mocking him • Not related to pyromania • Animated while discussing violent topics • Common features found with pyromania (Parks, 2005)

  8. Case Study • Sexual perversions and impropriety • Comments toward female staff • CAT scan, EEG scan • Two seizures while at the ward • MRI examination, treated with anticonvulsant, no seizures (Parks, 2005)

  9. Case Study • Five-month follow-up neuropsychological • Visuospatial and language skills did not improve • Excelled at mental status exam • Fewer fire setting incidents over five months • Living independently • After three years, no fire setting incidents (Parks, 2005)

  10. Diagnostic Criteria • Set a fire on more than one occasion • Deliberately and purposefully • Tension or stress before setting a fire • Fascination with fire • Experience pleasure,satisfaction, and/or relief after setting fire (Pyromania, 2013)

  11. Diagnostic Criteria • Not set fires for monetary gain • Not revenge, cover up a crime, or hallucination • Not due to any other disorder • Conduct disorders • Manic episode • Antisocial personality disorder (Pyromania, 2013)

  12. Differential Diagnosis • Arson • This is for profit or monetary gain • Normal adolescence • Many children are fascinated by fire • Other general misbehavior disorders • Acting out consistently • Not just by setting fires (Symptoms, 2013)

  13. Treatments • Most involve behavioral • Pharmacologic • Antidepressants • Compared to other impulse control disorders • More behavioral than pharmacologic (Freudenrich, 2013)

  14. Conclusion • Debate between psychiatrists and psychologists whether pyromania is even a disorder • Some believe it is biological • Still undetermined (Freudenrich, 2013)

  15. AnyQuestions?

More Related