Who Needs Shoplifting Counseling

Shoplifting counseling stops this compulsive behavior. There’s a difference between kleptomania and a professional shoplifter. The majority have an obsessive desire to steal. This is like any obsessive/compulsive behavior but the end result is the same. Both of them steal and both of them have broken the law.

Shoplifting & Kleptomania

There are 2 major types of shoplifters and we don’t have pity on them, because they cause every one of us problems. This professional shoplifter has his/her own agenda. They case the stores for what they want or what they’ve been assigned to ‘get’ and they do what they have to do to get the job done. For the professional shoplifter, shoplifting is a job and they have no guilt about it.

Then there are the others – the ones who’ve simply had the opportunity to get something for nothing and risked it.

But the majority of people steal for many reasons. Like any other addiction, they’re escaping through their behavior and not dealing with issues in their lives. They may be suffering depression, anxiety, frustration or anger and often if they’re a teen, there may be peer pressure to steal.

Regardless of what’s going on in their lives, the shoplifter has stolen from stores and all of us pay for it – all except the shoplifter. So when they’re caught, we want revenge.

Kleptomania is a psychiatric label which refers to a small percent of shoplifters and these people would not benefit from shoplifting counseling.

The Compulsive Shoplifting Issue

Similar to any compulsive behavior, if it was addressed early, a compulsive behavior never would have developed in the first place. Let me give an example of what I mean. If you were a gambling and played the slots and never won, would you play? Of course not. That’s why the machines give ‘pay-outs’.

With shoplifting its different. No matter how much security the retailer has in the store, on average a shoplifter can get away with it 48 times without getting caught. That’s a pretty hefty reward. In fact if you shoplift so many times without getting caught, you’re pretty surprised when you do. And then comes the ‘shock’ .and the embarrassment. You’re taken to the back room, questioned and maybe charged – the family gets into it – it’s a nightmare.

And by the time you’re caught, compulsive shoplifting may be a deeply rooted addiction

Peer pressure often leads to shoplifting If this is the case, assertiveness can be strengthened with professional help. To find out more about me click here

Addiction Counseling

Like any other addiction the shoplifting behavior has to be assessed to find out how ingrained the behavior is.

Shoplifting counseling focuses on the problem, by up-rooting the symptom. The client learns to address the issues that they’ve been avoiding through the addiction. They become new assertiveness skills and gain self esteem in the process.

Similar to other addictions, there is a ‘high’ with ‘getting away with it.’ And there may be a craving when not shoplifting. All this is addressed.

If you think there is a problem, you’re probably right. Don’t be in denial. The longer you wait to get help the worse the problem becomes and harder it is to change. If you have a personal question, just ask. Addictions counseling for shoplifting works. My office is in the Montreal area, but I’m available for coaching or consultation for shoplifting counseling issues

Get more information on shoplifting

Teen shoplifters are a different breed