Addiction to Stealing

Addiction to Stealing

Addiction to Stealing

An Addiction to Stealing

can Feel like a High

But is this addiction to stealing it truly worth it? Stealing is that temporary feeling of wealth and power. It’s a personal “take from the rich and give to the poor” thinking.

An Addiction to Stealing can Feel like a High

But is it truly worth it? Stealing is that temporary feeling of wealth and power. It’s a personal “take from the rich and give to the poor” thinking. You may take because you feel like that something should belong to you. You may feel like that is the only way that you can afford that something. This can start from taking one cookie from the jar to large sums of money, cars and jewels.

It also creates this feeling of lack because you can steal, but a part of you will feel like you never have enough. You therefore put yourself in a vicious cycle because you believe that stealing can fill the void but ironically, it increases the addiction.

A person may steal without really thinking through their impulsive action might affect someone in the future. The person is not pathological — they are capable of empathy — but in the moment they may act without thinking how stealing will hurt the person or business from which they are stealing.

Pathological is the obsessive and habitual inability to control part of behavior.

People often have co-occurring disorders such as hoarding, eating disorders, sexual addictions, and codependency. It is unusual to find somebody who is just an alcoholic or even just a shoplifter. A lot of people steal things for other people because they are trying to make an impression on how others see them. This is manipulative but that’s part of codependency-being seen as nice, generous, and financially affluent. People struggling with codependency often fear feeling out of control if they were to be fully honest with others or assert their needs, thoughts and feelings.

Stealing Addiction

Stealing is addictive because it is rewarding. Behaviors are often repeated because we are pleased by the results. The reason why people enjoy taking things is because it creates a thrill; they knows that they can have what they want and not get caught.

Sometimes it’s not that they want to continue the pattern, but sometimes the addiction can be so strong that they do not know what to do.

You may steal for a variety of reasons. Perhaps because you believe that you deserve better, but you feel that you do not have what it takes to get what you want. Or because you believe that someone has wronged you and that they deserved to be punished. You are not alone.

Statistics on Stealing and Drug Use

Experts estimate 3 million people in this country are addicted to shoplifting.

The National Association of Shoplifting Prevention says:

one out of every 11 Americans — some 23 million people — shoplifts.  Every day, $25 million is lost to retail theft.  The stores are fighting back by installing more surveillance equipment. Some have cameras so that can zoom in on a a theft.

Research on U.S. drug-related crime:

• 18% of federal inmates and 17% of state prisoners reported that the reason they committed their crime had been to get money for drugs.
• Among inmates who used drugs on a regular basis, the top three crimes committed were: motor vehicle theft, robbery and larceny.
• About 25% of arrests for robbery involved marijuana, while 15% involved cocaine. Cocaine was associated with about 22% of larceny crimes. Methamphetamines and amphetamines were responsible for nearly 30% of motor vehicle thefts.
• These statistics represent those who reported themselves as being under the influence of drugs when committing a crime. But if these stats were to include those who regularly used drugs and not just those who self-reported drug use, then the numbers would increase greatly. Just under 63% of larceny arrests would be associated with drug use. More than 50% of burglary and robbery arrests would be drug-related. Nearly 68% of motor vehicle thefts would involve drug use.

Reasons People Become Addicted to Stealing

Most people know that stealing is wrong, yet people still do it on a daily basis. If you have recently had something stolen from you, you may be struggling to understand why. There are many different kinds and levels of theft, from pocketing a few dollars left lying around to taking whole identities to embezzling millions from trusting customers. You can get a better understanding of why someone chooses to steal based on the person’s motive behind the stealing.

For kleptomania, a part of the brain may be triggered by a traumatic experience or a mental illness.

If stealing is not due to pathological reasons, then the person may have developed the habit during childhood as a result of abandonment or neglect. Stealing gives some people a semblance of control so they do it for emotional reasons. Try to confront them about stealing and offer to help him or her get professional help.

In order to fully correct the behavior, start first by understanding and accepting that it is a behavioral problem. Only then can you truly begin to heal from within and permanently change your behavior.

Kleptomania

Kleptomania, is the repetitive, uncontrollable stealing of items not needed for personal use. It is a disabling disorder that often goes unrecognized among mental health professionals and law enforcement.

Kleptomania is an impulse-control disorder that affects about 0.7% of the population. It remains poorly understood. It is defined by three features:

1. failure to resist an impulse to steal unneeded objects;

2. an increasing sense of tension or arousal before committing the theft;

3. and an experience of pleasure, gratification, or release at the time of committing the theft.

Kleptomaniacs often steal objects that are of little value, that the person could have easily managed to buy. The person with kleptomania may hoard the stolen object, give it away, or discard it.

Many report an altered state of consciousness while stealing called depersonalization — where they may feel detached from their bodies or in a dream-like state.

Those who suffer from kleptomania experience shame and guilt, unlike ordinary shoplifters, which may lead the person to secretly return stolen items. Someone with this disorder will usually avoid stealing in view of a security guard or police officer. They usually do not plan the thefts or fully take into account the chances of being caught. The stealing is done without participation of others.

Kleptomania is a mental disorder that is characterized by an irresistible urge to steal, unwanted thoughts about stealing, a building of pressure and, finally, the stealing behavior that releases this pressure. After the person takes something, they feel satisfaction or rief despite the possible consequences.

Kleptomania is a type of impulse control disorder in which a person repeatedly has the urge to steal items that are not needed or that have very little value. A kleptomaniac may not need the item or might even have the money to purchase it. Still, the person compulsively steals because they get a rush from doing it.

The urges come on spontaneously. The person may steal from public places such as stores or from the homes of family or friends.

A kleptomaniac steals merely for the rush and doesn’t take the value of the stolen items into consideration.

Substance Abuse

A person with a stealing problem may take money from relatives, friends, and coworkers to fund their addiction. Lying is also a part of this type of theft. If the person is confronted about the issue, they are likely to deny having a problem.

Basic Needs

Some people steal to meet their basic needs. Desperation is a common reason behind many thefts. A person may not have a job or source of income or means to provide for themselves or their family. So, the person steals for food or to provide shelter.

Peer Pressure

Being in the wrong crowd can also prompt someone to develop a habit of stealing. The value of the stolen item may not matter as much as the thrill of taking something and potentially getting away with it. This type of stealing is very common in teens who are susceptible to peer pressure. They may do it to look cool or be accepted by a group of peers.

Emotional Needs

In some cases, a person who has suffered an early attachment loss or trauma may steal to compensate. These individuals’ basic emotional needs are not being met. In an attempt to fill an emotional hole left behind by a parent or caregiver, the child may compulsively steal to resolve feelings of deprivation.

Unfortunately, the stealing does not resolve the issue, so the individual steals more and more.

Excitement

Consider that some people steal just because they can. Some thefts occur simply because the person has the opportunity. They can get a sense of excitement from taking what’s not theirs despite the possible consequences. They can see it as a challenge. They can also steal out of greed when they already have plenty.

For these people, this can become a way to cope with difficulties in their life. It becomes a way to cope with loss or to get out of the routine. Many people who shoplift in this manner have depression, so the rush they feel takes them out of the apathy and sadness they feel. However, this relief is short-lived and people often experience shame after going through with it.

A good solution for this is addiction to stealing is psychotherapy which can help people manage their problems in a healthier way. Therapy can help people who are depressed or who experience a void in their lives which they may be trying to fill through stealing, even if they are not aware of this connection.

What Causes a Stealing Addiction?

Underlying issue such as depression, anxiety and stress can cause and addiction to stealing. Whatever the root cause is, it is important that you become aware of it and take the right steps to correct it. It would be very difficult to correct the behavior if these underlying issues are not dealt with. It is important to note that you can change and you have the power to control your behavior. Love yourself enough to realize that you are taking the right steps to improve your life and that you can commit to change.

Impulse Disorders are made worse if there is an increase of stress in an individual’s life. If you do not suffer from an impulsive-compulsive disorder and you get over-welming stressors, you are likely to be more impulsive while the stress is high. Although, unlike a person with impulse disorders you won’t keep repeating the impulsive cycle once the stress has lessened.

These stressors maybe internal or external and can occur at any stage of life. Many of these had early childhood attachment loss or trauma and often stressful dysfunction family systems which resulted in compensatory behaviors of which stealing is often only one of the unhealthy behaviors and thoughts they use to cope.

People with an addiction to stealing are not necessarily more likely than others to have major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or bipolar disorder, but they are more likely to have another impulse-control disorder or substance abuse problem. There seems to be some genetic component to the illness, as they are more likely to have close relatives who suffer from a substance use disorder as well.

Excuses Might Include:

People caught in the act of stealing might throw up a wall of words to avoid repercussions and to potentially keep the door open for it to occur again in the future. Common phrases used include:

“I forgot to ask you.”
“You told me I could have it. Don’t you remember?”
“I just need the money for a few days. I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“I was going to give it back.”
“I’d let you borrow from me, if you needed to.”

Treatment

How to Help Others

Due to the shame linked to shoplifting, most people don’t ask for help, which can make the situation worse.

If you know someone who can’t seem to stop stealing, suggest that they see a counselor. Stealing can often be treated with therapy and medication.

You might tell the person: “I noticed that you took something out of that store. I know that you had the money, so I’m guessing you just had a desire to steal it. I’m concerned and I don’t want you to get into trouble. Maybe you should talk to a professional. I’m willing to go with you.”

Pathological stealing is generally not personal. People who steal pathologically are generally not doing it to intentionally harm anyone. The stealing meets a need — whether emotionally or literally. People who steal for pathological reasons may feel guilty about their behavior, but still be unable to stop it without intervention and therapy.

Several medications have been used as treatment, including fluvoxamine, paroxetine, lithium, valproate, buspirone, and naltrexone.

There is some evidence that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the treatment of choice for anxiety disorders and depression, are not as effective for kleptomania. Instead, other medications (such as opioid antagonists and mood stabilizers) have shown early promise in treating kleptomania. More research is needed to determine how best to treat this addiction to stealing.

How to Help Yourself – Break Free from Your Addiction to Stealing

There is hope for change. However, it may take some time and effort in order for the behavior to successfully change. You can start by accepting that there is a problem.

There is no need to feel like a victim or to blame or criticize anyone or anything. Just peacefully and lovingly accept that there is a problem. Then become committed to change and know that you don’t have to keep it up. Once you have accepted that it is a problem, get to the root of the matter.

Regardless of the past, you can have a better and brighter future. You can be healed if you commit to these steps. You have the power and you can overcome this weakness and rediscover that strength and integrity from within.

Stealing can be like a drug but you can break free from the cycle of addiction. By understanding and accepting that you have a problem, it becomes easier to deal with it. It may require work and effort but you are worth the change and you deserve better. You are more than enough and you deserve more than what you take, so take the chance and do what it takes to get better.

Begin to see this as a form of self-love. You respect and value yourself enough to make the change that you want to see in the world and most importantly within yourself.

Potential Triggers

The first thing that you can do is monitor your behavior. Commit to self-reflection. Make a note of the pattern. Make a note of your history of theft. Also if possible, note what you were thinking or feeling before and after you stole. These will help you to identify potential triggers and then you can create a mantra or an action plan to deal with the behavior beforehand.

Then look at the potential consequences of the behavior. You can get killed. You can get caught and end up going to jail or prison. You may disappoint or continue to disappoint loved ones and they may find it hard to trust you. All of these are reasons to change and can keep you motivated.

Perhaps, you can start by asserting yourself and your needs more. The reason could be because you feel powerless and victimized by the system or by someone else. Believe that you have the power and the strength and take responsibility for yourself and your actions.

You can positively provide for yourself and others. You do not have to feel like a victim and you are more than capable because you have the power within you to do the right thing. Some people do not actually know the difference between right and wrong. That is also a type of disorder.

Perhaps the reason is because you feel like you cannot afford what you want. If this is the case, then you can look for jobs and make some money in order to buy what you need. Maybe you already have a job and believe that the money runs out too quickly.

Perhaps what you can do is to budget better. If stealing gives you a high, then perhaps you need to find something else that is more constructive and positive to produce that same high. A true sense of accomplishment can come from mastering a hobby or skill. It can be tapping into positive talents such as art, writing and music for example.

Find enjoyable and positive ways to exercise as it releases endorphins which help you to feel good.