Pyromania is an impulse-control disorder in which individuals repeatedly fail to resist impulses to deliberately start fires, to relieve some tension or for instant gratification. The term pyromania comes from the Greek word πῦρ (pyr, 'fire'). Pyromania is distinct from arson, which is the deliberate setting of fires for personal, monetary or political gain. Pyromaniacs start fires to release anxiety and tension, or for arousal. Other impulse-control disorders include kleptomania and intermittent explosive disorder.
There are specific symptoms that separate pyromaniacs from those who start fires for criminal purposes or due to emotional motivations not specifically related to fire. Someone with this disorder deliberately and purposely sets fires on more than one occasion, and before the act of lighting the fire the person usually experiences tension and an emotional buildup. When around fires, a person with pyromania gains intense interest or fascination and may also experience pleasure, gratification or relief. Another long term contributor often linked with pyromania is the buildup of stress. When studying the lifestyle of someone with pyromania, a buildup of stress and emotion is often evident; this is seen in teenagers' attitudes towards friends and family. At times it is difficult to distinguish the difference between pyromania and experimentation in childhood because both involve receiving gratitude from fire.
