confessions of a kleptomaniac
Hi - my name is probably me, and I am a kleptomaniac. This is a line I would have probably spoken in a kleptomaniacs anonymous meeting some 17 years ago.
Yes, I was a klepto in those days. I didn't have a severe case of it though, it was just a pretty muddled phase of my life. And so much so that I am probably going to be overcompensating for it for the rest of my life.
So what triggered this confession, or for that matter, this trip down this particular bylane of my memory? It was this article I read in today's newspaper about the illness. I tried to find it online for the benefit of the visitors to the blog, but unfortunately I was not able to locate it, so I'm going to have to pen down what I remember of it.
Basically the article mentioned that only about 5% of people who habitually steal suffer from the illness. Kleptomania is a compulsive need to steal. It's a situation where the person can't help themselves. One of the main reasons sited for people habitually stealing was the high they got from doing something wrong, especially where there was the danger of getting caught. In many cases, the stealing is not related to need - in fact many perpetrators come from affluent families and don't need to steal. But stealing for a kick or a high is not kleptomania. That's the remaining 95% of the people who steal.
What causes Kleptomania then? Usually a psychological imbalance. It's a person's way of coping with some problems they have in their life.
Most interestingly, the illness has a duration. It seems that it runs its course for 16 years (I'm guessing that's an upper limit). Very very interesting. That seems about the right time frame for a person to grow out of a habit or to get out of a phase of their life. Also, most of the people who suffer from kleptomania are usually young - likely to be children.
So what was my brush with kleptomania? I used to steal stuff from other kids. Nothing major in hindsight - erasers, pencils, etc. Occasionally I'd get my hands on a book or a comic. The embarrassment caused to my parents on more than one occasion still sends shivers down my spine. And now I wonder why I did it at all - it was certainly not because I did not receive a good upbringing. In many cases it was a way to avenge something bad I suffered... if a kid is mean to you, take revenge by knicking their geometric instruments box :) But in a few cases, it was just a case of me being mean to somebody who was not at fault. Usually remorse would follow.
A couple of times, I also shoplifted in bookstores. in fact, once I was even caught. But that was more for the thrill of getting something for free than anything else.
If I was indeed a sufferer of kleptomania, I guess the illness has run its course by now, and I have been dry for the past few years.
Yes, I was a klepto in those days. I didn't have a severe case of it though, it was just a pretty muddled phase of my life. And so much so that I am probably going to be overcompensating for it for the rest of my life.
So what triggered this confession, or for that matter, this trip down this particular bylane of my memory? It was this article I read in today's newspaper about the illness. I tried to find it online for the benefit of the visitors to the blog, but unfortunately I was not able to locate it, so I'm going to have to pen down what I remember of it.
Basically the article mentioned that only about 5% of people who habitually steal suffer from the illness. Kleptomania is a compulsive need to steal. It's a situation where the person can't help themselves. One of the main reasons sited for people habitually stealing was the high they got from doing something wrong, especially where there was the danger of getting caught. In many cases, the stealing is not related to need - in fact many perpetrators come from affluent families and don't need to steal. But stealing for a kick or a high is not kleptomania. That's the remaining 95% of the people who steal.
What causes Kleptomania then? Usually a psychological imbalance. It's a person's way of coping with some problems they have in their life.
Most interestingly, the illness has a duration. It seems that it runs its course for 16 years (I'm guessing that's an upper limit). Very very interesting. That seems about the right time frame for a person to grow out of a habit or to get out of a phase of their life. Also, most of the people who suffer from kleptomania are usually young - likely to be children.
So what was my brush with kleptomania? I used to steal stuff from other kids. Nothing major in hindsight - erasers, pencils, etc. Occasionally I'd get my hands on a book or a comic. The embarrassment caused to my parents on more than one occasion still sends shivers down my spine. And now I wonder why I did it at all - it was certainly not because I did not receive a good upbringing. In many cases it was a way to avenge something bad I suffered... if a kid is mean to you, take revenge by knicking their geometric instruments box :) But in a few cases, it was just a case of me being mean to somebody who was not at fault. Usually remorse would follow.
A couple of times, I also shoplifted in bookstores. in fact, once I was even caught. But that was more for the thrill of getting something for free than anything else.
If I was indeed a sufferer of kleptomania, I guess the illness has run its course by now, and I have been dry for the past few years.
posted by the grim sleeper at 12:03 PM
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