Health Topics for Mental and Emotional Health

Department of Psychiatry

Pyromania

Pyromania is an impulse to set fires. Most children go through a stage where they like to see fire. This is normal. If they are taught about fire safety, supervised children can assist adults around a campfire. Some children still manage to sometimes sneak away and play with fire. This is frightening, but it is not a psychiatric disorder.

People have pyromania only if they meet all of the following signs:

• set fires on purpose more than once
• are very tense or very excited before setting the fire
• seem fascinated or attracted by fire and objects, people, or situations around fire and
• experience pleasure or relief when setting or watching fires

A person with pyromania does not set fires for money, to express political beliefs, to hide signs of a crime, or to show anger. It is not pyromania if someone sets a fire in response to a delusion or hallucination. It is also not pyromania if the person setting the fire is in the manic phase of bipolar disorder, has a conduct disorder, or has an antisocial personality disorder. A true pyromaniac just likes fire.

Most pyromaniacs are male. Although children set a lot of fires, pyromania usually occurs in adolescence or adulthood. People with this disorder may have poor social skills. Many have learning problems. Pyromaniacs tend to plan in advance to start fires. Many of them like to watch any fire they can. They may like to set off fire alarms. People with pyromania often do not seem to care about the loss of property, the injuries, or even the deaths that result from fires.

Pyromania is extremely dangerous to the person with the disorder as well as to others. If you suspect that someone you care about may have pyromania, ask your primary healthcare provider for a referral to a mental health professional as soon as possible.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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