Art is an aging actor. At 75 years old, his agent thinks Art should retire instead of taking another bit part. But retirement isn’t an option. He needs the money for bills and the distraction to help him avoid thinking about his ex-wife and daughter, who left him decades ago. Art tried to avoid sadness by filling his calendar - joining a social club for seniors, caring for a dog, and directing a play for small children. However, nothing helped him avoid stealing small items. Art’s closets overflow with pocketed clothes, toys, and snacks. The theft is a huge source of shame. Art knows he must stop.
Art experiences kleptomania, a mental health disorder characterized by an overwhelming urge to steal items that are generally affordable or not needed. It’s a type of impulse control disorder and shares traits with both addictive disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. When people with kleptomania steal things, they usually hide the items or give them away. Usually, the shame over the theft is too overwhelming for the person to attempt to enjoy or use the stolen goods.
Kleptomania is different from other forms of shoplifting for personal gain or rebelliousness, and treatment for shoplifting reflects that the person is experiencing a mental health problem, not a character or moral flaw. People who have kleptomania endure consequences ranging from shame to legal trouble.
Here are tips for dulling kleptomania’s stealing urges:
Imagine the Entire Story: Imagine having the urge to steal, stealing, and being caught. In detail, consider all the consequences, including an arrest, appearing before a judge, friends and family finding out, etc. Repeat daily.
Condition an Aversive Response: Imagine having the urge to steal, approaching the item, and feeling nauseous, vomiting, or being seen by respected others. Repeat daily.
Attend to the Underlying Problem: If a clear emotion precedes the urges, identify it and create an alternative plan to satiate the feeling in healthier ways. For example, if the preceding feeling is loneliness, spend more time with others.
Love Clare Pooley? Me too. Check out my post on Kindness and IONA IVERSON'S RULES FOR COMMUTING by Clare Pooley.
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