Not only is he tampering with the mail, he actually enjoys reading it like a newspaper - you ever hear of this

Question

What kind of disorder is it when a man continues to tamper with federal mail, is it some kind of fixation?

When he was a young boy, it started as him scamming an extra ice cream cone at the ice cream place and throwing it into the public blue mailbox - about once a week.

Now, as a grown man, he swiped a stack of important mail from a place because he feels that he was ripped off there, and he is now enjoying looking through all this mail....

How would you even begin to diagnose this behavior?

Answer 1

I'd diagnose it as illegal behavior that needs to be reported for some federal treatments...

Answer 2

I wouldn't call it a mental disease as much as a criminal fixation or a psychopathic disorder.

He doesn't appear to have a psychosis or Schizophrenia; to have lost touch with reality--this is just a fixation and a sign of psychopathy (lack of empathy). It is criminal; an invasion of privacy and a federal crime and you should report him so he can get the help he needs. Not to mention that the mail he is damaging and stealing is never delivered and a lot of people are paying because of this.

Instead of reporting him to the Post Office or the Police I would send him to the hospital. You need to find out what his reason for doing this is. You said he feels that he was ripped off, how did the US Mail and John Q Public rip him off? He isn't harming the US Mail Service very much he is only harming the people whose mail he damages. Explain to him that the US Mail doesn't care what gets delivered as long as it is sent and they have no way to prove that something has been sent or not unless it is registered or certified. Otherwise it is just assumed it reaches its destination.

His problem seems to be actually a sign of a hatred against either the federal government that is displaced or a rage against the public in general. That is truly psychopathic behavior and that is a dangerous mental condition characterized by an unusual lack of empathy or caring about others.

After you explain to him that he is harming the public not the government then maybe he will change his focus or maybe he will tell you the REAL source of his problem and rage.

He is not in danger of suicide, but he fits the description of someone who is a danger to himself or others. Call a suicide hotline or the county mental health clinic for assistance. If he is arrested then it won't address the source of his rage, and I assume you don't want him arrested, but you may have to if this continues. At least stop his behavior and bring him to his senses. An intervention with friends and family might be a good idea here.

According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopathic
“Psychopathy is defined in psychiatry and clinical psychology as a condition characterized by lack of empathy or conscience, and poor impulse control or manipulative behaviors. It is a term derived from the Greek psyche (soul, breath hence mind) and pathos (to suffer), and was once used to denote any form of mental illness, often being confused with psychosis. The term is often used interchangeably with sociopathy, but there are differences among the three….

The difference between sociopathy and psychopathy, according to Hare, may "reflect the user's views on the origins and determinates of the disorder."[37] Most sociologists, criminologists and even some psychologists believe the disorder is caused by social conflicts, and thus prefer the term 'sociopath.' Those who believe as Hare does, that a combination of psychological, biological, genetic and environmental factors all contribute to the disorder are more likely to use the term 'psychopath'.”

According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia
"Schizophrenia, from the Greek roots schizein (σχίζειν, "to split") and phrēn, phren- (φρήν, φρεν-, "mind"), is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental illness characterized by impairments in the perception or expression of reality, most commonly manifesting as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions or disorganized speech and thinking in the context of significant social or occupational dysfunction."

According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychosis
"Psychosis is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality". Stedman's Medical Dictionary defines psychosis as "a severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning.""

Answer 3

Tampering with the mail is a federal offense, and he is liable for jail time.. It is a disorder, which is better left to a professional.

Answer 4

My dx is a federal crime has been commited and the police & the place where the mail was stolen from need to be informed....think of how you would feel if some stranger got a hold of your mail in this manner and was reading it?

Answer 5

Yes, it sounds like a disorder to me. If he is a friend, I would have him seek immediate counseling. What he is doing is destructive, illegal, and just plain mean spirited. No one of sound mind would steal mail. And, if he was destroying mail as a child? This sounds like an on-going mental disorder of some kind.

Answer 6

That is what's called a felony which can lead to mucho prison time. One fo my father's coworkers used to do this too and he's currently cooling his heels over in Camp Hill, PA.

Answer 7

I wouldn't try to diagnose it. I would report him to the authorities because what he has done is illegal. Either that or get him some help from a professional.

Answer 8

That's a federal offense. And I'd just say it's mean.

Answer 9

It's a felony to tamper with U.S. mail.

Answer 10

Have you let him know that this a federal offense and if he's caught, he'd do some serious prison time?