A fascination with fire is part of every kid’s childhood, but it’s meant to be passing. For some people, fire becomes the central focus of life, and the urge to set a fire becomes an irresistible impulse. We think.
In this episode, Josh and Chuck explore the murky world of pyromania, marking their show's tenth anniversary with a deep dive into a rare and poorly understood impulse control disorder. They untangle the psychiatric criteria for pyromania, explain why it's nearly impossible to diagnose in real life, and discuss what treatment looks like for the handful of people who may actually have it. Along the way, they share some of their own childhood fire-starting adventures and reveal some genuinely fascinating research about how arson, pyromania, and even firefighting can be mysteriously connected.
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