tivity disorder, or an  adjustment disorder.
Gender-Related Diagnostic Issues
Pyromania occurs much more often in males, es pecially those with poorer social skills and
learning difficulties.
Differential Diagnosis
Other causes of intentional fire setting. It is important to rule out other causes of fire
setting before giving the diagnosis of pyroma nia. Intentional fire setting may occur for
profit, sabotage, or revenge; to  conceal a crime; to make a po litical statement (e.g., an act of
terrorism or protest); or to attract attention or recognition (e.g., setting a fire in order to dis-
cover it and save the day). Fire setting may also occur as part of developmental experi-
mentation in childhood (e.g., playing with matches, lighters, or fire). 
Other mental disorders. A separate diagnosis of pyromania is not given when fire set-
ting occurs as part of conduct disorder, a mani c episode, or antisocial personality disorder,
or if it occurs in response to a delusion or a hallucination (e.g., in schizophrenia) or is at-
tributable to the physiological effects of anot her medical condition (e.g., epilepsy). The di-
agnosis of pyromania should also not be gi ven when fire setting results from impaired
judgment associated with major neurocognitive  disorder, intellectual disability, or sub-
stance intoxication.
Comorbidity
There appears to be a high co-occurrence of substance use disorders,  gambling disorder,
depressive and bipolar disorder s, and other disruptive, impu lse-control, and conduct dis-
orders with pyromania.