Does the reason vary from person to person?

I wouldn't describe my problem as something related to poor impulse control. I can stop anytime I want to.It's just that I don't want to although I'm scared.The thought of stopping makes me feel bad and bunch of uncomfortable questions pop into my mind, like "Why should I pay for it if I can steal it?How come others can do it?Why am I such a coward?What will people who know about my stealing think when I tell them I stopped?Should I stop but pretend I'm still doing it?"I actually have to make myself do it which doesn't seem to be the case with most other shoplifters.

I believe a phase of shoplifting can be a cry for help, attention, a symptom of anxiety and depression.
There's a fear of being caught, coupled with a desperate need for someone any f##king one to notice you exist.
That how it was for me anyway.

I think it clearly varies from person to person.
Like you said some do it because they can't afford the items they need/want. [this should never be the case ]
Others do it for the adrenaline/satisfaction rush. [i did something others cant/dont dare doing. think of bank robbers for instance].
while others may feel like they don't exist. [i dont think i can fully understand this reasoning, sorry]

from what you say, though, it seems like you belong in this last group. i put myself in the 2nd. but i stopped now. [i hope i stopped forever, but i cant know for sure]
be careful out there.

Of course they vary. I shoplift because I cannot always afford the necessities. There are also times where there is no probable risk of getting caught and I don't want to spend my money.

I do it because it saves me money. I'm struggling financially right now so taking little things here and there... Like hair wax, shower gel... Pointless stuff like that helps. It's probably not worth the risk.. Getting arrested for a cheap bottle of shower gel.. But I see the risk as low because I trust my judgement.

Not proud of it and I wouldn't consider taking from a small business..

Ok, after reading that again I think I'm in denial to a degree. I've taken stuff I don't *need* - a candle, nice cutlery, duvet covers, etc... I don't particularly need that stuff. It's more of a want. Of course, I can't afford to pay for stuff like that right now while I'm struggling with my bills/debts... But I'm not sure I'd stop taking it even if I could afford it... My mindset is you don't have to pay for it.. So why not just take it?

I don't know. I wouldn't say I shoplift lots, or even regularly. Just a thing or two every now and again.. Mostly to just replace things I do actually need. But yeah, just thought I should post again without this whole "I'm completely innocent and what I do is justified" thing.

I only ever steal from large chains- never independent shops or other people. I feel like I do it out of spite maybe. To punish the shops for having bad security. I sometimes struggle to understand how society can rely so much on trust. Stealing can be so easy because we assume that people just won't. I steal jewelry mostly. Nothing hugely expensive. Stuff from Topshop and Accessorize mostly. I'd probably buy some of it anyway.
Oh, and Lego minifigures for some reason. Jewelry and Lego minifigures. I have no idea why.

vatican_cameos wrote:I only ever steal from large chains- never independent shops or other people. I feel like I do it out of spite maybe. To punish the shops for having bad security. I sometimes struggle to understand how society can rely so much on trust. Stealing can be so easy because we assume that people just won't. I steal jewelry mostly. Nothing hugely expensive. Stuff from Topshop and Accessorize mostly. I'd probably buy some of it anyway.
Oh, and Lego minifigures for some reason. Jewelry and Lego minifigures. I have no idea why.

yea, big chain stores usually have pretty bad security. but it depends. here, even the coffee bags or the chocolate bars have security things attached to them. sometimes, if the cashiers don't properly run the things over a magnetic field, the alarm system at the store's exit will get triggered. it happened to me several times -_-;;;; sometimes they even checked my bags to make sure i didnt steal stuff.

I had an alarm go off once when I had nicked something but it turned out to be from a tag left on clothing I'd actually bought from another shop.Despite myself, I found that pretty funny.

I think my lifting problem is connected to revenge.

I tend to steal from small businesses if I have been treated badly in service by the owner. I tend to dislike and have a bias against small business owners who are curt, rude, abrasive or treat their employees in a way I find demeaning. It's very weird. I was very badly treated by several small business owners whom I worked for (they tend to have very bad tempers, be controlling, fake in public/mean to employees in private, super aggressive etc). I think I have a subconscious desire to punish bad SB owners because when I steal I literally feel happy that I am destroying their business and hope they will have nothing. It's admittedly sick.

If I like the business owner or respect them I do not steal from them.

I have only developed this habit as of a year ago, after I stopped working for two employers who were particularly mean to me. I want to stop but part of me just wants to destroy small businesses I hate. It's a very strong and strange impulse to have for someone who never shoplifted previously.

I am trying to deal with my anger/revenge problem but I don't know what to do about the compulsive part of it. I think I could now have developed an addiction to the thrill of "punishing" them.

Outwardly I am a very kind, meek and nice person. You would literally never guess I could be this way. It's like I am Jekyell and Hyde when it comes to shoplifting. It scares me.