Most often, pyromania in psychology and psychiatry is considered only as a pathological craving for arson and observation of it. But who is a pyromaniac really? A pyromaniac can also be called a person who has a craving and desire to blow something up. This phenomenon is included in ICD-10 in the chapter with disorders of habits and impulses (). Many people like to look at fire and fireworks, but where is the line between normality and pathology, which is indicated by the code F63.1.

What is pyromania? This is a spontaneous, irresistible desire to start a fire and the subsequent inexplicable behavior of a person - committing arson. It is believed that a pyromaniac is someone who has committed targeted arson of any scale more than once. When fulfilling his desire, the pyromaniac experiences pleasure and ecstasy both from the process of preparation and from observation.

Mental disorder is formed due to psychological trauma. A pyromaniac cannot control his impulses; he enjoys the flame. Sigmund Freud, a famous psychotherapist, believed that pyromania is one of the forms sexual disorder. In this case, the arsonist gets excitement from watching the fire.

Other psychiatrists are of the opinion that arson is a way of self-expression, a show of one’s strength. This may explain why the pyromancer tries to put out the fire.

Among other things, the development of pyromania goes back to childhood. Patients are often children from single-parent families. The appearance of the disorder in an adult is associated with instincts and drives. When diagnosed, there are more male pyromaniacs, and, as a rule, pyromania is a symptom in the clinic of schizophrenia.

The main signs of pyromania

This is a serious mental disorder, manifested by a desire to commit arson, although there is no objective motive for this. A pyromaniac or pyromaniac never hides his passion for fires and does not deny involvement in them.

A pyromaniac can be easily identified by the following symptoms:

• psychiatrists talk about the disease if at least two arson attacks have been committed without motive or material gain;
• the arson is carefully planned, carried out by the patient with the air of a professional;
• deviation from the intended plan causes tension and dysphoria in the pyromaniac, which disappear after the plan is completed;
• the sight of fire is pleasure;
• in childhood, interest in fire can manifest itself in conversations and games with matches;
• thoughts of arson constantly spin in the patient’s head;
• when observing a fire, a person suffering from pyromania may experience sexual arousal.

Pyromania is rarely true, isolated from other behavioral pathologies.

Pyromania in children

A disorder such as pyromania begins in childhood. Until the age of three, children are not interested in learning about the world and do not pay attention to fire. But later everything becomes so interesting, especially matches and lighters. But burning paper or poplar fluff is not a sign of illness.

Most often, interest fades away after several attempts to set something on fire on your own. Other interests take their place. But pyromaniacs never forget their hobby. If you analyze the games of pyromaniac children, you will notice that they are associated with extinguishing or searching for the possibility of arson.

If a child often reaches for lighters, mentions fire, flames in conversations, or has fire themes in his drawings, then parents need to show the child to a psychologist in order to diagnose the pathology in time and correct the child’s behavior.

Children's pyromania is dangerous! The child does not have a developed sense of self-preservation; they do not understand that they are risking by setting fire. For a child, this is just a game, entertainment, although adults see this attraction differently.

The development of pathology during puberty is a double danger. The teenager denies prohibitions and is characterized by negativism and cruelty. It becomes difficult to distinguish a teenager from a pyromaniac, because the first one is just making himself known by exploding firecrackers and setting fires. Teenage pyromaniacs realize that they will have to answer for what they have done, but this only raises them in the eyes of their friends or relatives.

If pyromania is a way of standing out from the crowd, expressing one’s point of view and is not accompanied by obsessive thoughts, then one cannot talk about the young man as a pyromaniac.

Psychologists note that in adulthood people show cruelty and aggression towards people if in childhood there was a passion for arson or cruelty to animals.

Treatment options

Since pyromania is a pathological syndrome that falls within the scope of a mental disorder, treatment should be aimed at eliminating the disease as a whole. All manic arsonists do not realize the severity of their condition, so treatment for pyromania is complex and painstaking work. Sometimes the only option for preventing arson is the involuntary placement of an individual in a psychiatric hospital.

In addition, a person with pyromania has a reduced ability to evaluate his actions or is completely absent. There is no motivation to contact a specialist to overcome pathological cravings. Therefore, an important stage in the treatment of pyromania is the person’s awareness of his destructive actions.

Real medicine helps eliminate signs of obsessive behavior, pyromania, if it occurs in the complex of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The doctor selects individual therapy after conducting a series of diagnostic measures. Treatment for pyromania includes psychotherapy, medications and hypnosis.

Hypnosis sessions are shown to be highly effective in treating this disorder. Manic behavior can be eliminated by influencing the subconscious, by transforming negative emotions into constructive positive feelings.

Psychotherapy

Methods of cognitive behavioral therapy, since pyromania is considered a behavioral disorder. But in practice this does not always turn out to be the case. You can compare CBT and alcoholism. The disorder is closely associated with affect, and only then is expressed in behavior that can be explained by hypomania or mania. After all, already when preparing for arson, a person experiences euphoria.

It captures the patient’s entire mind and requires an event, for example, it could even be murder. But the pyromaniac does not want human torment, and if people suffer in the fire, he will sincerely regret it. He is ready to set fire to his property for the sake of a thrill. The important thing is that the picture of the fire captures attention, and the stress after the arson extinguishes the manic phase.

A sadist, strangling a girl, gets a feeling of ecstasy, this calms him down. The arsonist also strives for the same thing - it’s just that for one, ecstasy is associated with murder, for another with arson. But the feeling of pleasure itself is needed not for the sake of 5 seconds of pleasure, but for the sake of subsequent relaxation.

Therefore, any psychotherapy should promote and lead to relaxation. Only in the most severe cases should drug therapy be used. All other treatment should be limited to teaching the patient to obtain relaxation without committing arson, as well as to control his painful impulses.

is a disorder of desire, manifested by an irresistible urge to set fire and fascination with watching the flames. The desire to start a fire arises spontaneously, while arson occurs impulsively. Pyromaniacs experience extraordinary delight and pleasure while organizing a fire and observing the combustion process; they can only assess the consequences after extinguishing it. Diagnosis is performed using the method of clinical conversation. Treatment of true pyromania is carried out using methods of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, and drug behavior correction.

ICD-10

F63.1 Pathological attraction to arson [pyromania]

General information

The word “pyromania” has two bases and is translated from ancient Greek as “attraction, passion for fire.” This syndrome was described back in 1824, but still remains not fully understood. The urge to set fires often develops in childhood and is most common among children from socially disadvantaged families. The peak incidence occurs between 14 and 30 years of age. The overwhelming majority of patients are men. Pyromania is extremely rare among women. The overall epidemiological indicator does not exceed 0.4%. This pathological attraction can act as an independent disorder or be a symptom of a mental illness - schizophrenia, alcoholic or organic psychosis.

Causes of pyromania

Disorders of desires are formed in childhood and adolescence, most clearly manifested during puberty and in adults, becoming part of antisocial, deviant behavior. The causes of such disorders remain unknown, but researchers have been able to identify a number of factors that increase the risk of developing pyromania:

• Low adaptive abilities. Desire disorders often occur in people with insufficient stress resistance, low self-esteem, an inferiority complex, and negativism. They are experienced as a conflict between the desire for isolation and the need for the attention of others, which can be satisfied through the organization of arson.
• Authoritarian parenting. People who grew up in asocial families, in which cruelty, disrespect, and violence predominate, and demonstrate an inability to control emotions and actions, are prone to pyromania. The child adopts a similar style of behavior and, under the influence of passion, commits destructive actions, including arson.
• Reduced intelligence. An insufficient level of mental development in mental retardation, dementia, or as a result of trauma reduces the patient’s ability to control behavior and correctly assess the consequences of their actions. The arsonist does not understand the asocial nature of his actions and does not foresee the possible damage.
• Emotional-volitional disorders. Disorders of behavior and emotions, psychopathy often become the basis of pyromania. Arson is committed in combination with other deviant acts (theft, fraud), against the background of outbreaks of antisocial behavior - when running away from home, vagrancy.
• Long-term frustration. The inability to satisfy basic needs (food, safety, sex, comfort) is a source of mental stress, which is reduced through antisocial behavior. The number of spontaneous arson increases during periods of social instability, financial and political crises, and during a conflict between a person’s worldview and the values ​​of the microsociety.

Pathogenesis

Complex behavior is formed in stages: first, an idea arises and its driving force is impulse; then thinking occurs - defining a goal, anticipating a result, drawing up a plan; then actions are implemented. If at the second stage it becomes clear that the action is inappropriate, unacceptable, or dangerous, then the impulse fades. Pyromania is a disorder of impulsive behavior - desires and aspirations appear spontaneously, are not controlled, and are realized without the stage of analysis and planning. Thinking about motives and consequences occurs after committing an act and receiving release. The physiological basis of behavioral disorders is often immaturity and insufficient functional activity of the frontal areas of the cerebral cortex, which are responsible for programming and controlling complex behavior and social emotions.

The actual content of pyromania is explained by several theories. According to the psychoanalytic concept of S. Freud, flame is a symbol of sexuality and is associated with the male penis. The motive of pyromaniacs is the desire to obtain sexual satisfaction. Biological theories view this disorder as a manifestation of the ancient instinct to worship fire as a source of warmth and life. In social psychology, arson is considered a special form of social behavior that allows you to attract attention, take a dominant position, and subjugate people forced to fight the fire to your will.

Symptoms of pyromania

The first manifestations of pathological attraction are noted in early childhood and preschool age. The child is overly interested in ways to make fire, despite the prohibitions of his parents, takes matches and lighters, starts household arson - personal belongings, boxes, benches, old tires in the yard burn. After the first fires, excitement and attraction to the combustion process appears. At the stage of habit formation, pyromania can be easily corrected; it is enough to strengthen educational measures by parents. In adolescents, attraction intensifies and becomes demonstrative. Arson becomes a way of pitting oneself against others, especially adults. It contributes to increased conflict in the crisis of adolescence, and is often combined with vagrancy, hooliganism, and theft.

Adult pyromaniacs have several episodes of arson or attempts to start a fire without clear goals or motives. They are not intended to benefit or cause harm. Arson is committed spontaneously or is carried out after preparation, in which, however, there is no understanding of the consequences, feasibility, or threat of action. When planning a fire, the patient experiences anxiety and emotional stress. He is hyperactive, completely engulfed in a pathological idea. Watching the flames, one experiences delight, pleasure, and sexual arousal. Some pyromaniacs actively participate in putting out fires, as this allows them to be closer to the source of passion and gain the approval of others.

In the periods between arson, patients constantly think about the fire, sources of fire, and the combustion process. This embrace of the idea manifests itself in drawings, games, friendly conversations, and dreams. After another incident, pyromaniacs feel relieved. Subsequently, the tension gradually increases, obsessive thoughts appear about what to set on fire, in what way, when. In a state of intoxication, patients become uncontrollable and set fire to objects with people - houses, street gazebos, cars.

Complications

Undiagnosed cases of pyromania develop into severe forms - the number of episodes of arson increases, and the time interval between attacks decreases. With each fire, patients receive less and less satisfaction; to experience delight they need more intense stimulation, so they set fire to large objects and endanger people's lives. The more the disorder progresses, the more inappropriate the behavior of pyromaniacs becomes. Patients lose the ability to assess the harm caused even after a fire, and do not feel guilty for causing harm to health and death.

Diagnostics

When identifying pyromania, the main goal is to distinguish between pathological and intentional arson. In cases of mental disorder, episodes occur without a motivational basis - patients do not seek to gain benefit, take revenge, harm, protest, or hide traces of a crime. The only purpose of arson is to experience the pleasure of watching the combustion process. An important diagnostic task is also to differentiate the urge to set fires as a separate disorder from pyromania as a symptom of mental illness.

In schizophrenia, the organization of fires occurs as an inadequate reaction accompanying delusions or hallucinations. With organic lesions of the central nervous system, arson becomes the result of a violation of volitional regulation and the ability to assess the danger of an act. Patients with chronic alcoholism suffer from obsessions and start fires for fun. In adolescence, pyromania often develops as part of behavioral deviations; it has a dual goal - to experience pleasure and to oppose oneself to other people. Patients are examined by a psychiatrist using a clinical method. To confirm the diagnosis, the following criteria must be identified:

• Number of arson incidents. The patient organized 2 or more arson attacks. The episodes are purposeful and thoughtful.
• Positive experiences. Before the fire, the patient experienced excitement, anticipation of delight. When observing fire - joy, pleasure, satisfaction. The conversation notes notes of admiration, fanaticism, and pleasure when describing the arson.
• Lack of selfish motives. The patient did not have the goal of taking revenge on anyone, hiding the consequences of the crime, or obtaining material gain. Behavior is based on an impulsive desire for pleasure.
• No mental disorders. To identify the true form of pyromania, it is necessary to exclude schizophrenia, alcohol, drug and organic psychosis, dementia, mental retardation, and dissocial personality disorder. If these diseases are suspected, additional diagnostics are carried out.

Treatment of pyromania

Therapy is determined by the patient's main diagnosis. In the true form of pyromania, hospitalization is often required because manic arsonists are not aware of their painful attraction. A decrease in critical abilities significantly complicates the treatment process - patients do not recognize the presence of the disorder and refuse medical care and follow prescriptions. Therapeutic intervention occurs in stages:

1. Use of medications. In case of severe pyromania, the patient must be admitted to a hospital and undergo constant monitoring at the initial stage. To stop impulsiveness, manic tendencies, and obsessive thoughts, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, sedatives.
2. Passive techniques of psychotherapy. The patient’s motivation for recovery is unstable, so it is common to use methods that do not require his initiative. Sessions of hypnosis and suggestion in reality are conducted. Impact on the subconscious eliminates irrational thoughts and behavior, transforms negative experiences.
3. Active psychotherapy and rehabilitation. At the final stage of treatment, cognitive-behavioral methods and psychoanalysis are effective. The patient begins to realize unhealthy attractions, learns behavior control skills, and acquires new life goals, learns safe ways to have fun.

Prognosis and prevention

True pyromania, with an integrated approach to treatment, has a favorable prognosis - pathological impulses can be corrected and replaced with productive ways of behavior. Prevention of the disorder has not been developed due to the fact that its causes are unknown. It is possible to prevent the development of attraction at the stage of formation of passion and habit. It is necessary to pay attention to the child or teenager’s interest in the topic of fire, his craving for sources of flame. If these symptoms are identified, you should seek advice from a child psychologist who will give recommendations on changing your parenting style.

Pyromania- this is a violation of impulsive behavior, which is expressed in insane passion, a craving for arson. Pyromaniacs also love to watch fire. Pyromaniacs are people who deliberately, purposefully and more than once committed arson. They experience pleasure and satisfaction from preparing for the arson and watching the fire.

There are certain signs of pyromania: deliberateness and purposefulness of arson, which is committed repeatedly, tension before committing arson, fascination with fire, curiosity and craving for it or for situations in which a fire appears, pronounced joy at the sight of a fire. Arson is not committed for the sake of enrichment or other benefits, to conceal a crime, or out of a feeling of revenge.

Pyromania causes

Pyromania in psychology is considered a disorder of impulsive behavior, which is characterized by a recurrent inability to resist the impulse to “burn something” and a strong preoccupation with contemplating the fire. The main feature of this disorder is the commission of arson without apparent reason or motivation, such as material wealth, revenge or ideology.

Freud also attached unconscious significance to fire. He saw in it a kind of intimate symbol. Freud believed that the heat spread by fire gives rise to the same sensations that accompany sexual arousal, and the movement and shape of fire resembles the phallus.

Other scientists associate pyromania with the manifestation of a pathological craving for power, social status and dominance. Often pyromaniacs can volunteer to serve as firefighters after setting something on fire. This behavior is associated with an attempt to prove that they are brave and courageous in order to demonstrate their strength. Pyromania is a way of releasing accumulated rage, which is caused by feelings of sexual, physical or social humiliation.

Psychologists have noted that many pyromaniacs grew up in single-parent families (without a father). Therefore, one of the reasons for arson is the desire for the absent father to return home as a savior, putting out the fire and saving his child from the hardships of life.

There are significantly fewer female arsonists than male ones. Such women are characterized by sexual promiscuity, and they often suffer.

Today, experts in the field of psychiatry have put forward the theory that the basis of the irresistible craving for pyromania is mainly a disturbed or incorrect personality formation. There is also an opinion that the cause of this mania may be a severe form of one of the types of anomalies of sexual behavior.

Often the first manifestations of pyromania are observed in childhood or adolescence. If a child is over three years old, then matches have exceptional magnetism for him. Children's pyromania manifests itself by lighting fires and watching a burning candle. However, at the same time, children who commit arson do not understand all the consequences that their offense may entail.

Older pyromaniacs in such situations are the complete opposite, since they are well aware of all the consequences of setting a building or car on fire.

There is an opinion that the reason for the uncontrollable craving for arson in adults is the awakening of a primitive instinct with which they cannot cope. If an individual has mental illness, then in all cases he cannot overcome the urge to commit arson.

It has been established that in eleven percent of cases pyromaniacs are people with mental disorders, and every fourth of them has a tendency to relapse and serial arson. In judicial practice, there is a known case where a subject who underwent a psychiatric examination committed arson more than 600 times. Psychiatrists believe that pyromaniacs can be found both among those who enjoy contemplating the flames and among those who are on the other side of the barricades - working in the fire service.

Signs of pyromania

According to many psychologists, this type of mania should be considered a serious mental disorder. A true pyromaniac is unconsciously and irresistibly drawn to committing arson, and he does not need any reasons or motives to commit them. They experience true pleasure from the very process of committing arson. They also rarely hide their involvement in a fire.

Psychiatrists believe that cases of true pyromania are quite rare. Basically, manifestations of an irresistible craving for arson and contemplation of flames accompany other, more serious diseases, for example, schizophrenia.

The main signs of pyromania:

— multiple arson attacks or attempts to commit them without obvious motives (at least two unmotivated arson attacks);

— the arsonist’s actions are characterized by confidence and intensity;

- before committing arson, pyromaniacs have internal tension, excitement, which passes immediately after the accomplishment of the plan and a feeling of relief appears;

- reflections on objects related to fire;

- the pleasure of watching the flame;

- in some cases, an abnormal interest in machines and equipment intended for extinguishing fires is detected;

- pyromaniacs, when committing arson, never pursue material goals;

- pyromaniacs often act as spectators - they like to watch fires, for example, in their neighbors;

— often people suffering from this disease report false arson;

- in some cases, pyromaniacs feel sexual activation at the sight of a flame;

- the subject is constantly haunted by thoughts about choosing a suitable object for arson, about how to start a fire.

For more early stages By identifying the symptoms of this disease, it is easier to cure it. Pyromania can be accompanied by alcoholism. In such cases, the desire to set fire becomes even more uncontrollable and uncontrollable. Such people do not realize the consequences of their actions and do not take responsibility for their actions. Today there is a lot of controversy about what this type of mania is.

Pyromania in psychology and psychiatry is still considered a disease related to severe mental disorders. In addition, this disease is characterized by a chronic course.

At the same time, pyromania should be distinguished from:

- deliberate arson (when there is a clear motive) in the absence of mental disorder;

- arson committed by teenagers with, in cases where there are other behavioral disorders, for example, theft, truancy;

- arson committed by persons with sociopathic personality disorders with persistent violations of social behavior, for example, aggression or indifference to the interests of other people;

- arson committed by people diagnosed with . Such arson is usually carried out by them under the influence of delusional ideas or as a result of obeying the orders of “voices”;

- arson committed by people with organic mental disorders.

Pyromania in children

Today in psychiatry the prevailing theory is that pyromania is a craving, which, in many cases, is based on an abnormal or disturbed formation of the personality structure.

Pyromania generally begins in childhood. If the first signs of an irresistible urge to set fire were identified in adolescence, then the manifestations of pyromania have a more destructive form.

Fire has always attracted and fascinated people. Many people simply enjoy the warmth of a fire or fireplace. Children simply love nighttime gatherings around the fire. However, sometimes this love of fire transforms into obsession. This obsession is called pyromania. A teenager suffering from this mania is simply unable to refrain from any contact with fire.

Pyromania in teenagers manifests itself in the desire to set fire to any objects, obsession with fire, and firecrackers. In the 20th century, the obsession with fire reached its apogee, so psychologists in the 1930s tested all street children and teenage delinquents for pyromania. Today, pyromania is not the most common deviation, but it can still be found today.

Most children at a young age played with matches, tried to set something on fire, lit fires in the yards and burned poplar fluff. Most children only need a few fires to lose interest in starting fires. But little pyromaniacs are characterized by the desire to associate all games only with fire.

Children's pyromania is dangerous because children do not realize the danger that fire is fraught with, and do not understand all the possible destructive power of the flame. If you notice that your child in conversation increasingly mentions words such as arson, fire, fire, flame, constantly draws everything that is directly or indirectly related to fire, you caught him with matches in his hands more than three times, then this is serious. reason to think about it and show the child to a psychologist. A specialist will help you choose an acceptable form of translating your attraction to fire into reality.

Many psychiatrists believe that professions such as fireman, juggler, blacksmith and others can be chosen by people who have a hidden tendency towards pyromania.

Pyromania treatment

For effective treatment pyromania, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors: whether there is alcohol intoxication, whether the patient has a history of psychosexual dysfunction or other mental disorders, the coefficient intellectual development patient and other factors. So, for example, if the arson was committed by a patient with schizophrenia, then one must take into account his possible delusional states or the presence of hallucinations.

Often people suffering from an irresistible attraction to arson have organic brain damage, and therefore cannot anticipate the consequences of their actions. That is why treatment of pyromania must be individual in each specific case. Any therapy is prescribed only based on the reasons for the subject’s deviant behavior.

Since pyromania is primarily a symptom and not a separate disease, treatment is often difficult. One of the difficulties of therapy is the lack of positive motivation among pyromaniacs. Therefore, it is sometimes considered that an effective treatment option is to place the individual in isolation in a hospital setting. Some pyromaniacs can only be prevented from committing another arson using such methods. While in captivity, the patient is subjected to aversive behavioral therapy programs. Psychotherapy with patients who have a pathological passion for arson is quite problematic due to the low level of verbalization ability.

Adolescent pyromania should be subject to more thorough diagnosis and qualified treatment. After all, the psyche of children is quite vulnerable. A pyromaniac child should never be punished. You need to understand that he is not doing this out of spite. After all, if your baby gets the flu, you won’t scold him, will you? You will treat him. Therefore, the best solution for children of pyromaniacs is to carry out targeted psychotherapeutic measures.

The prognosis for pyromania can be quite favorable in relation to the treatment of the disease in children. If the disease is diagnosed in time, it is quite possible to achieve complete remission. The prognosis for adolescents is not so rosy. This is due to the fact that teenagers tend to hide their tendency to commit arson; they quite often completely deny their participation in committing arson, and are not inclined to take responsibility for what they did.

The main task of a doctor in treating pyromaniacs is to conduct individualized therapy, which will primarily be aimed at disorders in personal development. Typically, treatment gives a fairly stable and positive result and a minimal risk of relapse if the disease is diagnosed in a timely manner.

Pyromania is an impulse control disorder in which a person cannot resist the urge to set something on fire to relieve stress or gain satisfaction. The term "Pyromania" comes from the Greek word πῦρ ("fire"). Pyromania is distinguished from simple arson, the purpose of which is personal, monetary or political gain. This disorder is intentional and purposeful, rather than accidental. Pyromaniacs set fire to something in order to feel euphoria. They often have a fixation on institutions associated with fire, such as fire stations. Pyromania is a type of impulse control disorder, along with kleptomania, episodic control disorder, and others.

Story

In the 1800s, pyromania was thought to be associated with “moral” insanity and required “moral treatment,” but it was not classified as an impulse control disorder. Pyromania is one of the motives for arson recognized today. Other than that, they include profit, covering up a crime, and revenge, with pyromania being the second most common category. Commonly used synonyms for pyromaniacs include the term “arsonist.” Pyromania is a rare disorder, affecting less than one percent of people in most studies; Also, pyromaniacs make up a very small proportion of psychiatric hospitalizations. Pyromania can occur in children aged three years, however, such cases are rare. Only a small proportion of children and adolescents who were arrested for arson suffered from childhood pyromania. Men are more likely to suffer from this disorder; one source states that ninety percent of those diagnosed with pyromania are male. Based on a survey of 9,282 Americans using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition methodology, impulse control disorders such as gambling, pyromania, and compulsive shopping affect 9% of the population. A 1979 study by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration found that only 14% of fires were caused by pyromaniacs and other people with mental illness. A 1951 study by Lewis and Yarnell, one of the largest epidemiological studies, found that 39% of people who intentionally set fires had pyromania.

Causes

Most of the studied cases of pyromania occur in children and adolescents. There are a number of reasons for this, but understanding the different motivations and actions of arsonists can provide a basis for prevention. Common causes of pyromania can be divided into two main groups: individual and environmental. These include a comprehensive understanding of factors such as individual temperament, parental psychopathology, and possible neurochemical predispositions. Many studies have shown that patients with pyromania grew up in fatherless families.

Individual

Individual factors that can cause pyromania mainly relate to issues of personal life. This category includes teenagers who have committed crimes in the past. For example, 19% of teens with pyromania have a previous conviction for vandalism, and 18% are non-violent sex offenders. Other reasons may include seeking attention from authorities or parents, or dealing with social issues such as bullying or lack of friends or siblings. Another reason may be that the patient is subconsciously taking revenge for some events from the past. People with pyromania are also prone to exhibit antisocial traits. These include truancy, running away from home and various offenses. Children and adolescents who are pyromaniacs usually suffer from adjustment disorders, although it is important to clarify that pyromania is not, in fact, a mental disorder, although it is still more than a simple impulsive act of stress relief. Pyromaniacs also often exhibit abnormal desires for power and social dominance.

Caused by the environment

Environmental factors that can lead to pyromania usually involve events that the patient has experienced in the environment in which he resides. Factors environment include parental neglect and physical or sexual abuse in previous years. Other causes include early experiences of using fire inappropriately, as well as starting fires as a form of stress relief.

Symptoms

There are specific symptoms that separate pyromaniacs from those who start fires for criminal purposes or for emotional reasons not directly related to fire. Those who suffer from this disorder and repeatedly deliberately start a fire more than once usually experience tension and emotional distress prior to this act. When a person suffering from pyromania sees a fire of some kind around them, they experience a special interest or fascination, and may also experience pleasure, satisfaction or relief. Another long-term factor often associated with pyromania is the accumulation of stress. When studying the lifestyles of people with pyromania, the accumulation of stress and emotions is often obvious, and this is reflected in the way teenagers relate to friends and family. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish the difference between pyromania and children's experiments, since both activities bring pleasure from the sight of fire.

Treatment and prognosis

Appropriate treatment for pyromania varies depending on the patient's age and the severity of their condition. For children and adolescents, treatment usually includes cognitive behavioral therapy, in which the patient's situation is examined to determine what may be causing the impulsive behavior. Once the cause is identified, repeated treatment sessions usually help to continue recovery. Other important steps must also be taken to suppress impulsive behavior. These interventions include parenting, coping with consequences, reinforcement of new behaviors, problem-solving skills training, relaxation training, covert sensitization, fire safety and other preventive training, self- and family therapy, and medication therapy. The prognosis for recovery of adolescents and children who suffer from pyromania depends on individual and environmental factors, but is usually positive. Pyromania is generally more difficult to treat in adulthood, usually due to a lack of cooperation on the part of the patient. Treatment usually consists of several medications that prevent stress or emotional outbursts, in addition to psychotherapy. In adults, however, recovery rates are poor, and when an adult does recover, it usually takes a longer period of time.

Prevention

The best prevention for pyromania comes from parents who take the time to educate their children about fire safety and the danger of fire itself. Parents should keep all fire-related devices out of the reach of children and adolescents.

Fire is a fascinating sight, to which it is difficult to remain indifferent. It’s not for nothing that they say that this is one of the three things that you can look at forever. Moreover, the craving for fire is inherent in a person since childhood. First, pranks with matches, determining which objects and substances burn and which do not, then games and songs around the fire, which little by little flow into adult life, gatherings by a lit fireplace, etc., etc. After all, fire for a person is warmth and comfort. This means that there is nothing wrong with a person admiring the bright flames, unless, of course, it is a fire started by the observer himself just for the sake of pleasure. Because such a hobby is no longer the norm of behavior. This is a mental disorder that has its own name, and its name is pyromania.

The name of the pathology itself consists of two parts. “Pyro” means fire, and “mania” is an excessive passion for something that is practically beyond control and logical explanation. For pyromaniacs, the object of worship is fire, which occupies all a person’s thoughts and is the engine of his actions.

The pathological passion to set fire, watch the fire and even fight it pushes a person to inappropriate actions, from which, by the way, he does not receive any benefit (and does not even strive!). It is this feature of people diagnosed with “pyromania” that distinguishes them from ordinary avengers, hooligans and scammers pursuing the goals of harming someone, obtaining material gain, and hiding traces of fraud.

Epidemiology

Statistics show that the passion for arson is more characteristic of men than women. According to psychophysiologists, the male population’s fascination with fire is directly related to the production of the male hormone testosterone. It is this hormone that causes the search for thrills in adolescence, when it is most actively produced. Some teenage boys during puberty fulfill the need for such sensations by organizing arson. Here you have danger, risk, and an opportunity to prove yourself, and most importantly, to feel the power over the elements and people.

As for women, pyromaniacs among them are rather the exception to the rule. Usually such representatives of the fairer sex have other psychical deviations or mania. They are prone to aimless theft (kleptomania) and are promiscuous in sexual relations (sexual deviations).

It is worth saying that pyromania in pure form is very rare. It is usually accompanied by other mental pathologies (for example, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder), which reduces control over what is happening and reduces inhibition reactions nervous system, does not allow for a realistic assessment of risks and consequences.

Risk factors

In addition to humiliation and lack of upbringing, risk factors for the development of pyromania are considered to be living in a single-parent family. Currently, many children are being brought up without a father, who once left his family, and the child’s desire is to return his father in any way: attracting attention to himself, creating situations that threaten the child’s life, which can include arson. The child or teenager does not fully understand the danger of such behavior, nor does he think about the fact that the father may not even know about the danger threatening his child.

Pathogenesis

In psychology, pyromania refers to disorders of impulsive behavior. Usually people tend to initially think about their actions and their consequences. Those. the impulse (or desire to do something) hits a wall of thoughts. If a person realizes the danger or unattractiveness of the desire that has arisen, which is the driver of actions, the impulse fades away without turning into action.

Impulsive people are those whose actions are ahead of rational thoughts. Thinking about the motives for the action occurs later, when the release is received. Something similar is observed among pyromaniacs. They have an uncontrollable, unmotivated desire to set something on fire, and the sight of a blazing fire evokes delight and satisfaction in the souls of such people. At the same time, pleasure comes not only from contemplating the flame and the moment of arson itself, but also from the preparation for the event, which completely absorbs a person. Drawing up an event plan, thinking about the moments, anticipating the event already makes the pyromaniac happy.

The pathogenesis of this phenomenon has not been fully studied by scientists. However, many agree that pyromania is not a full-fledged disease, but only a symptom of a certain mental pathology, against the background of which it develops. Therefore, some people, with all their fascination with the fire extravaganza, do not experience much worship of fire, while others are fixated on the idea of ​​becoming its master.

There are several theories explaining the human craving for fire. The first one dates back to the 20s of the last century. Its founder was the famous psychologist Sigmund Freud, who saw fire as a symbol of sexuality. No wonder candles have become an integral attribute of an intimate romantic setting.

Fire is primarily heat. It is this sensation that takes possession of a person during sexual arousal. He feels a pleasant warmth spreading throughout his body. Freud associates the shape of fire and the movement of flames with the male penis.

According to this theory, pyromaniac arsonists do not need benefit from their deeds. The motive for their actions is the desire to obtain sexual satisfaction, which they experience while watching the fire. True, this theory does not quite explain the fixation on thoughts of flame and the pleasure of preparing to set fire, when a person has not yet experienced the heat itself, unless through self-hypnosis he causes imaginary sensations.

The second theory has its origins deep in the past. Even ancient people worshiped fire as a source of warmth, light and comfort. This attitude towards fire was formed at the level of instinct, which was partially lost in the process of evolution. The attitude towards fire has become more pragmatic, but not for everyone. Some people, according to this theory, are still unable to fight instinctive cravings, so they try to bring the object of their affection into the light whenever possible.

Using this theory, it is possible to explain the impulsive behavior of pyromaniacs, who can commit fire without preliminary preparation, simply at the behest of the heart, while not fully realizing the dangerous consequences of his action. But the behavior of pyromaniacs can be different. They can carefully plan an arson for a long time, choosing the right place and time, without experiencing a negative attitude towards the victims of their actions, and then also actively participate in extinguishing the fire and eliminating its consequences, receiving no less pleasure from it.

This behavior can be explained using another theory, which considers pyromania as one of the possibilities of dominance. A person who wants to be a leader, but does not have the appropriate qualities, with the help of a fire prepared by him, gets the opportunity for some time to subjugate to his will not only the fire, but also other people who are forced against their will to fight the flame.

According to the same theory, pyromania is an opportunity for self-expression for people rejected by society. In this way, they get rid of the burden of negative emotions and worries about their inadequacy.

By taking an active part in extinguishing the fire, pyromaniacs feel their power over the fire, their importance. It is this moment in the firefighter profession that attracts people who are happy to work in the fire department. Despite the fact that they provide work for their colleagues themselves, personally starting fires and heroically participating in their elimination. But in this way you can gain the respect of other people.

Symptoms of pyromania

Usually, when preparing arson, people pursue a specific goal. For some it is revenge, for others it is a desire to harm, and for others they want to get material benefit from it. At the same time, a person receives satisfaction not from preparation for the operation, but from the result and reaction to it.

For pyromaniacs, everything is different. The only vague goal of these people is to gain pleasure from contemplating fire (in some cases, sexual pleasure) and the opportunity to defeat it. They are brought into a state of indescribable delight by the very idea of ​​arson, which they savor in every detail. A person can spend hours looking at the fire, thinking about the plan of arson, the time and place, mentally drawing pictures of the raging elements, and from this already receive some satisfaction.

When a person with pyromania gets the opportunity to carry out his plans, and he succeeds, real euphoria sets in. Thus, the pyromaniac feels happy both during preparation and at the moment of implementation of his plan.

Pyromaniacs have no thoughts of harming someone or profiting from arson, which is how they differ from ordinary people. Many of them are characterized by naive impulsiveness, which does not allow them to soberly assess the riskiness and unsafety of the undertaking. But even those who understand this do not fully understand why this cannot be done.

Pyromaniacs enjoy not only the preparation and process of arson, but also the opportunity to participate in putting out the fire. For this reason, they show a keen interest not only in means capable of reproducing fire, but also in objects and equipment used in fire extinguishing (fire extinguishers, fire hoses, specially equipped vehicles).

But it is impossible to call a person a pyromaniac just because he likes to light a fire and look at it. Just like not everyone who works in the fire department shows a pathological passion for fire and firefighting. In order to be diagnosed with pyromania, a person must have certain symptoms.

The first signs of pyromania are considered to be a passion for everything related to fire and a tendency to unmotivated arson.

In order to suspect a person has pyromania, you need to note the following signs in his behavior:

• repeated attempts to commit arson (successful and unsuccessful) without a specific goal or motive, the goal is the arson itself, while there is an element of spontaneity both in the choice of an object and in the very appearance of the desire to set something on fire (at least 2 such cases),
• arson can be either well-planned as a result of obsessive thoughts about a fire, or carried out under the influence of a sudden impulse,
• absence of personal gain, material interest, motives of revenge or envy, do not express some kind of protest, do not intend to hide traces of criminal activity,
• confident actions are observed, without unnecessary fuss, despite the excitement and some tension on the eve of the event,
• there is a feeling of relief and a certain euphoria after committing an arson, as well as after extinguishing it, which is often noted among pyromaniacs,
• there is a great inexplicable interest in things that are somehow connected with fire, thoughts on the topic of fire, methods of extracting and extinguishing it,
• there is a pleasure associated with the contemplation of a burning flame, which is why pyromaniacs are often present where there is a fire, the cause of which is not them,
• there are false fire calls, reports of arson that have no basis, which are also characteristic of some pyromaniacs,
• noticeable sexual arousal at the sight of a blazing fire,
• there are constant obsessive thoughts about the fire and how to start it,
• immediately before and during the arson, affective behavior is observed, the person has poor self-control in the process of achieving satisfaction,
• there is a fanatical attitude towards fire, so a person can spend hours admiring the blazing flame,
• with true pyromania, there are no delusional states or hallucinations that could provoke arson.

Very often, pyromaniacs are not only the instigators of a fire, but also actively help to extinguish it, sometimes choosing the path of a firefighter just for this reason. This point is also a distinctive feature of pyromaniacs who do not try to escape from the scene of a crime, as do criminals who commit arson for a specific purpose, and not for the sake of the arson itself and the pleasure derived from it. On the contrary, they are attentive observers of the fire action or active fire extinguishers.

Pyromania in children

A pathology such as pyromania, in most cases, begins in childhood. Children under 3 years old rarely pay attention to fire and are not interested in ways to light it. But starting from the age of three, this moment becomes especially interesting for kids, which is why they are so willing to reach for matches and lighters.

Who among us in childhood did not try to light a match, set fire to paper, poplar fluff or a bird feather, or make a fire? All these manifestations are not signs of pyromania in children until they take a chronic form.

Usually, children's interest in matches and fire fades away very quickly after several attempts to independently extract a flame or set something on fire. Playing with fire and sitting around the fire are being replaced by other interests. And only pyromaniacs remain faithful to their hobbies. Almost all games of pyromaniac children are directly or indirectly related to fire and the means to ignite or extinguish it.

It is worth paying attention to a child if he often reaches for matches, in conversation constantly mentions flames, fire, arson, i.e. about everything related to fire, the theme of fire increasingly appears in his drawings. The parents’ task is to show the child to a psychologist who can recognize the pathology in time and correct the child’s behavior.

You need to understand that this is not just a wish. Children's pyromania has its own unpleasant characteristics. The fact is that children’s sense of danger is not yet sufficiently developed, so they do not realize how much they themselves are risking and what kind of trouble they bring to others. For a child, playing with fire is just “harmless” entertainment, even if this craving for fire is considered abnormal by adults.

It’s even worse if pyromania develops in adolescence, which is characterized by negativism, denial of prohibitions and some cruelty. During this period, it is very difficult to distinguish a true pyromaniac from a teenager trying to attract attention in such unnatural ways as arson, using firecrackers and other actions with fire.

Psychologists believe that pyromania developing in adolescence is even more dangerous than in childhood. It is more destructive and even cruel. Teenagers tend to understand that they will have to answer for their actions, but this only incites their ardor, because in the eyes of their friends and peers they (in the opinion of the teenagers themselves) will look like heroes.

Arson among teenagers is quite often a manifestation of negativism. In this way, they try to resist generally accepted behavior, prove that they are right, and stand out from the “gray mass.” But such behavior of a teenager cannot always be associated with pyromania. If there are no obsessive thoughts about fire, and arson is just a way to prove something (i.e., it has a specific clear goal), such a teenager can hardly be considered a pyromaniac.

By the way, the combination in a child or teenager of such qualities as an abnormal passion for arson and cruelty towards animals, according to psychologists, most likely indicates that in adult life he will quite often show aggression and use violence against people.

Forms

Such a phenomenon as pyromania does not have a clear classification, because, despite the similarity of symptoms, it can occur against the background of various mental disorders and in each specific case have its own special manifestations.

If we take into account the fact that a small part of pyromaniacs still do not have mental disorders, then this part of people can be identified as a special group, and the pathological desire for fire and arson can be called primary pyromania. You need to understand that mania developed in such people on its own, and did not appear as one of the symptoms of mental pathology.

If pyromania manifests itself against the background of mental disorders, it can be designated as secondary to the underlying disease. Thus, a tendency to set fires is characteristic of people with obsessive disorders, schizophrenics. In schizophrenia, arson is not considered typical behavior, however, they can provoke delusional states and hallucinations, which a person will again try to get rid of with the help of fire, finding protection and satisfaction in it.

Pyromania often occurs against the background of obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this case, it has its own characteristics. Here there is an awareness of one’s absurd behavior during an arson that has no purpose or benefit. However, a person cannot resist his impulsive desires, i.e. continues to perform actions that make no sense from a logical point of view.

An abnormal fascination with fire can also manifest itself in people with psychosexual deviations, for whom fire, as a symbol of sexuality and power, takes on the role of a kind of idol (sacrificial fire), increasing sexual arousal up to orgasm.

Pyromania can also be observed against the background of organic brain damage, manifesting itself in the loss of the ability to realize the consequences of one’s actions. For such a person, setting fire is innocent fun, which, in his opinion, does not pose a danger.

Pyromania is quite often combined with alcoholism. And this is a real explosive mixture, since pyromaniac alcoholics have practically no control over their desires and actions, the consequences of their actions are not fully realized. At the same time, a person often does not consider himself guilty of arson at all, and besides, he speaks about it so sincerely, as if he himself believes in his innocence.

Children's and adolescent pyromania can be divided into separate subtypes, which have their own characteristics and are somewhat different from adults.

Research in the field of child and adolescent pyromania has made it possible to divide young pyromaniacs into 2 groups:

• The first group includes children aged 5-10 years, for whom arson is a kind of game, an experiment with fire. These children have an inquisitive mind and often play the role of a “great scientist” or “lord of fire”, without realizing the danger of such fun.

Children from this group do not have mental or cognitive abnormalities, and therefore the group is called non-pathological.

• The second group of children and adolescents is different in that for them arson is not a game, but an opportunity to express themselves, throw out their aggression, ask for help, etc. This group of youth has several subgroups:

• Children and teenagers for whom arson is a kind of cry for help. In this way, the teenager tries to draw the attention of his elders to problems that are too difficult for him (divorce of parents and the departure of one of them from the family, domestic violence, etc.). These problems are often accompanied by prolonged depression and nervous breakdowns.
• Teenagers for whom arson is one of the manifestations of aggression. Arson in this case implies damage to property, no matter who it belongs to. In addition, such teenagers are prone to vandalism and even robbery if they are motivated by hatred.
• Children and adolescents with mental disorders (psychotic, paranoid, etc.).
• Children and adolescents with behavioral (cognitive) disorders. These are mostly impulsive guys with weakened neurological control.
• Members of specific groups whose behavior is oriented towards antisocial adults.

The division into groups and subgroups in the case of children's pyromania is conditional, since the same teenager can be driven by different motives.

Complications and consequences

It is easiest to deal with childhood pyromania, because at an early stage of the development of pathology it is always easier to overcome pathological dependence. In most cases, a few sessions with a psychologist are enough to correct the child’s behavior and help overcome the abnormal craving for fire. In addition, if pyromania is a symptom of other still hidden deviations, their early detection will help in effective and timely treatment.

Pyromania syndrome tends to develop. If on early stages pathologies, arson occurs from case to case, then gradually the pyromaniac begins to taste it, he needs more and more positive sensations that fire gives. As the syndrome develops, cases of unmotivated arson become more frequent, and it becomes much more difficult to treat the disease, because a person develops a clear association of fire with the boundless pleasure that he can so easily receive.

As we have already said, the danger of children's pyromania lies in the inability to foresee the consequences of their actions. A child's play with matches can end disastrously not only for strangers, but also for the child himself, who does not see any obvious danger to his life.

A similar situation is observed in adolescence. Even realizing the consequences of their actions for other people, they often reject the danger of the undertaking for themselves, risking even more. Successful attempts at arson, when the teenager not only was not injured, but also got away with it, only increase the excitement, making him less careful, and therefore increasing the risk of tragedy.

Pyromania against the background of alcoholism and mental disorders is no less dangerous than childhood, because the patient does not control his actions, from which he can suffer and cause harm to other people. At the same time, pathologies adjacent to one body only aggravate each other, causing various complications.

The danger of pyromania also lies in the fact that each of us can become a victim of a person with a fanatical attitude towards fire. The choice of an object for arson occurs spontaneously, which means that victims who may accidentally find themselves near or inside the object at that moment will not even suspect that a crime will be committed against them. After all, there is no motive for a crime.

Pyromaniacs often don’t even think about the fact that people or animals may suffer from their actions, and in a state of passion at the moment of committing arson, it is already difficult for them to stop, even if the awareness of the danger to others comes late.

Diagnosis of pyromania

Diagnosing such a controversial pathology as pyromania is quite difficult. Indeed, despite the fact that in psychology and psychiatry pyromania is considered a severe chronic mental disorder, there are doubts about whether this condition should be identified as a separate pathology or considered one of the manifestations of other mental disorders characterized by low self-control. Such disorders include bulimia nervosa, borderline personality disorder, antisocial disorder and some other pathologies.

Disputes continue to this day about what pyromania actually is: a disease or one of the symptoms. However, the problem exists, which means we need to look for a solution.

At first glance, it is almost impossible to distinguish a pyromaniac from an individual with antisocial behavior unless you try to understand the motives of his actions and the feelings that he experiences. This is clarified in a regular conversation with a psychologist.

The criteria by which one can suspect a true pyromaniac in a person are the following 6 points:

1. The patient committed 1 or several purposeful, well-thought-out and “lived” arson attacks.
2. Before the arson, the patient experienced intense excitement associated with anticipation of something important.
3. The patient's story about the event contains notes of admiration for fire, a certain fanaticism. He describes with pleasure and admiration all the nuances of the fire he started.
4. There is a fact of getting pleasure from arson. A person experiences relief after the fire is set; the previous tension subsides, giving way to pleasure.
5. The patient has no selfish or criminal motives, only an impulsive desire to gain pleasure by committing arson.
6. The person committing arson does not have hallucinations or delusional disorder, does not exhibit antisocial behavior, and has not had manic episodes.

The remaining symptoms that were described earlier are not so indicative of the diagnosis of pyromania, but they can also tell something about the patient’s personality traits.

Differential diagnosis

During diagnostic measures, you need to be able to distinguish a real pathological passion for fire from actions that were caused by other motives or committed under the influence of illness:

• Intentional arson, the purpose of which was revenge, profit or concealment of traces of a crime or fraud, if it was committed by a mentally healthy person.
• Arson as one of the manifestations of deviant behavior, which also includes theft, truancy, and outbursts of aggression in adolescence.
• An arson set up by a sociopath who doesn't care how his actions affect other people.
• Setting fire under the influence of hallucinations or “voices,” which sometimes occurs with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or delusional disorders.
• Arson in organic mental disorders characterized by decreased self-control and underestimation of consequences.

A pyromaniac sincerely does not consider arson a crime, but not because, due to mental pathology, he cannot comprehend the depth of what he has done, but because he initially does not wish harm to anyone, does not try to cause harm or cause losses. And this is the whole problem and the essence of true pyromania.

Treatment of pyromania

Piromynia is a rather complex and controversial diagnosis. On the one hand, this is an independent pathology, which is expressed in an uncontrollable passion for fire and everything connected with it. But on the other hand, this pathology is rarely found in its pure form. Most often, pyromania is identified as one of the secondary symptoms of mental illness and organic brain damage.

It is clear that there is not and cannot be a general approach to treating patients with true pyromania and mental pathologies, and especially with brain diseases. This is why diagnosing pathology is so important, as it helps to figure out what motivates the actions of a particular pyromaniac.

The difficulty in diagnosing pathology lies in the fact that when faced with a pyromaniac in action, it is not always possible to immediately discern how mentally healthy or ill this person is. If during the diagnostic process no known mental pathologies were identified, including various psychosexual disorders, you need to pay attention to the presence or absence of alcohol intoxication, the patient’s intellectual level, the presence of organic brain lesions and other factors that may clarify the situation.

If the patient is a child or teenager, it is important to study the circle in which he moves (parental status, family environment, friends, youth groups, etc.). Teenagers are very often under the bad influence of adults who purposefully organize antisocial teenage clubs and sects, which sometimes practice pogroms, robbery, arson, and vandalism. And it’s so easy for a teenager who doesn’t have good relationships with peers or has big problems in the family to be drawn into such organizations, where he can throw out all the accumulated negativity.

As for patients with mental disorders, it must be taken into account that schizophrenics commit arson “not of their own free will.” They are guided by “voices”, ordering them to commit a crime. Or, with the help of fire, they are trying to get rid of certain entities that appear to them in the form of hallucinations.

With obsessive-compulsive syndrome, there is again an element of the imposition of thoughts and actions by some otherworldly forces. A person understands that his actions do not make sense, but he cannot help but submit to the influence of non-existent forces.

In both cases, pyromania in patients cannot be cured until symptoms of obsessive behavior, delusions, and hallucinations are reduced. Usually in such cases, in addition to psychotherapy, hypnosis and drug treatment(neuroleptics, sedatives, antipsychotics).

For people with psychosexual disorders, arson is one of the ways of sexual release. In the treatment of such patients, psychological, psychotherapeutic and social techniques are used. Hypnosis, auto-training, and behavioral therapy are especially indicative in this regard. It is very important to show the patient that there are other, non-criminal ways to achieve sexual satisfaction that are considered normal by society.

With organic brain damage, a person simply does not realize the inadequacy and danger of his action. He is like a child, unable to assess risks. In this case, again, it is not the pyromania itself that needs to be treated, but its causes, i.e. brain. For organic diseases of the brain, various groups of drugs are used: psychostimulants and nootropics, neuroprotectors, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants, massage, physiotherapy and, of course, work with a psychologist.

Patients with mental disorders who have a tendency to set fire should definitely be treated in a psychiatric clinic. If they are not isolated, both the patients themselves and the people around them may suffer, because a person with delusional disorders and obsessions is not able to control his actions and does not realize the danger that he poses to himself and others.

But what about those who develop pyromania as a separate pathology? Be that as it may, an uncontrollable passion for arson and a manic passion for fire are in themselves a mental deviation. Both psychotherapists and psychologists agree with this.

If a person is not able to control his passion and realize the danger of his actions, then he is dangerous to others and himself. That's why the best way To prevent arson during the period of treatment and to prevent the disease from developing is considered to be the isolation of the patient within the walls of a specialized medical institution, where he will be provided with psychological and psychiatric care.

The main task of psychologists in this case is to identify the reasons for the formation of pathological passion and convey to the patient how reckless and dangerous his actions are. This is precisely the difficulty of psychological work, because pyromaniacs do not make contact very well, do not consider their actions criminal, and do not see the need for treatment, since they consider themselves mentally normal.

It’s even more difficult with pyromaniac alcoholics. They tend to deny, if not the fact of the arson, then their involvement in it. It is very difficult to find a common language with them in this matter. And it is even more difficult to explain to them that they need treatment.

It is probably easiest to work with children suffering from pyromania. True, the work of a psychologist and psychotherapist in this case should be especially delicate. You cannot punish a little pyromaniac for actions the danger of which he does not understand, because he is still a child, and he does not understand much. Classes should be held in a friendly game form. It is important to distract the child from the obsessive thought about fire, find him a new hobby, explaining the dangers of playing with fire.

Teenage pyromania is much more difficult to treat, because it is often based on deep psychological trauma or the example of adults. Youthful negativism does not allow you to see the whole essence of the problem and understand what causes inappropriate behavior.

If the cause of behavioral deviations is mental disorders, paranoia or excessive aggressiveness, then drug therapy will also be included in the treatment program. In other cases, the emphasis is on cognitive therapy, hypnosis, and auto-training. After identifying the problems tormenting the teenager, various ways of responding to the situation are worked out.

When the cause of pyromania and vandalism is the example of adults with antisocial thinking and behavior, it is very important to protect the teenager from their influence, to explain the irrationality and danger of antisocial behavior, and what punishment follows.

Prevention

Pyromania, like many mental disorders, is virtually impossible to prevent. The only way to slow down the development of the disease is to stop it at the very beginning. It is not so difficult to notice a pyromaniac, even in childhood, because both children and adults, overly keen on the theme of fire and fire, stand out from others.

If a child talks a lot about fire, draws it, and constantly reaches for matches, this is already a reason to show it to a specialist. There is no need to wait until the baby commits a serious offense by starting a real fire. The sooner the psychologist makes the correction, the more favorable the prognosis for the future will be. After all, young children are much more amenable to persuasion than teenagers with their manner of denying everything, or adults who consider themselves healthy people and do not consider it necessary to undergo treatment or change their habits.