What is pyromania?

People often talk about pyromania as a type of criminal behavior, but, in reality, it’s a highly misunderstood mental health condition. Not every person who commits arson lives with pyromania, nor does every person with pyromania set fires that hurt others.

Up to six percent of people in the U.S. live with pyromania. You aren’t alone, and having pyromania doesn’t make you a bad person. With professional treatment, you can learn how to manage the symptoms of this condition and better control your impulses.

Signs and symptoms of pyromania

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) — the text that health professionals use to make mental health diagnoses — pyromania is listed as a type of impulse control disorder. These are mental health conditions characterized by a difficulty with controlling your impulses. Other conditions in this category include oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder.

People with pyromania have a hard time controlling their impulses to set fires. According to the DSM, the symptoms you must experience to be diagnosed with pyromania include:

• Setting one or more fires on purpose
• Feeling a sense of tension or excitement before setting the fires
• Having a fascination with or an extreme interest in fire, including keeping paraphernalia like lighters
• Feeling gratification, relief, or pleasure when setting or witnessing a fire

People with pyromania set fires because they’re excited or fascinated by them. If you set fires to hurt others, get revenge, make money, or cover up a crime, then you likely wouldn’t meet the criteria for a diagnosis of pyromania.

The symptoms of pyromania usually develop during childhood or adolescence — although most people aren’t diagnosed until adulthood (if they’re ever diagnosed at all). Some early signs that a child may be developing symptoms of pyromania include:

• A fascination with watching, learning about, or being near fires
• Wanting to collect fire paraphernalia
• Playing with matches or lighters
• Having symptoms of other impulse control disorders, like ODD

The care you need, when you need it

Learn how Rula can support your mental health journey

Subscribe

I agree to receive emails from Rula and accept the terms outlined in Client Email Consent and Privacy Policy.

Causes and risk factors for pyromania

We still don’t yet know exactly what causes pyromania, but it’s likely a combination of biological and environmental factors.

Some risk factors for pyromania include:

• Co-occurring mental health conditions: People with pyromania often have co-occurring mental health conditions, including ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) in children. 
• Brain differences: Scans have found that people with pyromania and other impulse control disorders have differences in the parts of their brains responsible for reasoning and impulse control. 
• Being assigned male at birth: Males are more likely to experience pyromania and to set fires intentionally. 
• Early childhood experiences: Childhood trauma or inconsistent parenting can increase the risk of developing impulse control disorders in general. 

Four facts about pyromania

Because it involves impulsive fire-setting, many people misunderstand and are even frightened of people with pyromania. But pyromania is a valid mental health diagnosis. Here are some of the most important facts about pyromania.

Not everyone with pyromania is an arsonist

Even though having pyromania may increase your risk of committing arson, most people who deliberately start fires for a variety of reasons don’t meet the criteria for a pyromania diagnosis. Arsonists often set fires because they want to hurt others or express anger, not because of a mental condition or fascination with fire. 

Pyromania is a mental health condition, not a crime

Pyromania is a term that describes an impulse control disorder — a mental health  condition — characterized by an inability to resist an urge to intentionally start fires. They may do so for tension relief or because it fascinates or excites them. This isn’t necessarily a crime. 

Not all people with pyromania are dangerous

Many people with pyromania never set fires that hurt other people. Some even become firefighters because of their fascination with witnessing fires. Or they may set small or harmless fires, like lighting candles or in a firepit in their backyard. If you live with pyromania, you may struggle with your impulses to set fires because you don’t want to hurt others or be seen as dangerous.

Setting a fire doesn’t mean that you have pyromania

Pyromania is a relatively rare condition. People who set fires for monetary gain, to enact revenge, to make a political statement, or to cover up a crime don’t have pyromania. People with pyromania set fires simply because of a fascination or emotional excitement.

Getting diagnosed with pyromania

If you think you have pyromania, it’s important to get the right diagnosis. Unfortunately, this condition tends to go undiagnosed for many people. Part of this is due to stigma and shame. You might be afraid that if you tell a healthcare professional about your fascination with fires, they’ll judge you or even report you to law enforcement.

Getting a diagnosis is an important step toward getting the support you deserve. For some people, their symptoms of pyromania could get worse until they unintentionally hurt themselves or others, or get in trouble with the law. But you don’t need to wait until you’re in crisis to get support.

Your diagnosis is valid, and healthcare professionals aren’t there to judge you. They may need to report you if you threaten to hurt someone or yourself — but otherwise, your confidentiality will be protected.

Treatment options for pyromania

Living with pyromania can be challenging because you’re constantly navigating your impulses to set fires. But this condition is treatable and fire setting incidences can be reduced. 

We need more research on the best treatment options for pyromania. But research so far suggests that a combination of therapy — especially cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — and medication can be the most helpful.

A therapist can provide you with a safe environment where you can discuss your fire-setting urges without the fear of being judged or shamed. They can teach you healthy coping skills to strengthen your impulse control, explore your triggers, and overcome any past trauma or co-existing conditions that may be contributing to your symptoms.

Find care with Rula

Pyromania is highly misunderstood, but it’s a valid mental health diagnosis that can be treated. If you live with this condition, you deserve quality care. And working with a professional can help you manage your impulses and find healthier coping mechanisms. 

Rula has helped hundreds of thousands of patients find affordable, quality, in-network therapy. You can see a therapist as soon as tomorrow to receive compassionate, judgment-free therapy for pyromania. Don’t wait until you’re in a crisis to seek support.

Find a therapist with Rula