"I am kleptomaniac...."

Philippines
December 17, 2007 8:54am CST
Well Im not...but my friend told me that his girlfriend confess to him that she is...he immediately break up with her. What if someone you love admitted to you that he or she is a kleptomaniac and is responsible for the loss of the things in your house or particularly to you. What will you do? If he is your boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, or best friend... how would you react? Will you keep your distance?
12 people like this
24 responses
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
17 Dec 07
Oh i do not think that i would want to be involved with a kleptomaniac, it would drive you nuts all the time looking for something only to find that your girlfriend had lifted it.Can you imagine going shopping with this person,and you get out of the store and walking to your car and BINGO here comes the cops to arrest them for thieft...If it were just a girlfriend i would probably break it off, if it were a husband or wife i would seek help from a theripst....
@lynboobsy11 (11343)
• Philippines
17 Dec 07
Maybe If she/he is one of my family or even the one I loved I will help him/her and I will try my best to cure his illness. Being a kleptomaniac is a a illness that the person must have to see a doctor to control her likeness to steel anything. And If you really loved the person that has this maybe it is time for him/her to help and not to keep distance.
@ssh123 (31073)
• India
17 Dec 07
There are quite a few novels written incorporating kleptomanic characters and I had seen some movies too. This is a sort of physochological problem. Did you notice that most of the time, the people who are kleptomanics are from well to do families. In India too I have come across some of my students involved in such thing. In fact they do not require those things which they lifted without the knowledge of the owner.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
17 Dec 07
I fya love this person and have been with them a longg time. It would be very hard to break it off wouls break both your hearts! I would sugjest getting therapy for them. As I understand this it is a dicease and they dont know that they are doing it at the time but then find out later that they have picked up something and took it home So t ome that looks like therapy might help some. If that didnt work I would have to watch them close so I was with them if they did this around me . I was watching a show on tv awhile back where one person was picking up stuff in a store and the friend would go right in her purse and return it to where ever rhey got it from now that owuld be hard to do ya have to watch like a hawk and then still miss it. Would have to get them out of that place fast so they couldnt pick up anything else .
2 people like this
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
17 Dec 07
I would definitly tell them that they needed help, and that i couldnt be with them again untill they are getting the help that they need. That can get you into some serious trouble with your other friends, with the law, with anyone/or anywhere you take the person! I do not quite understand this syndrom, or sickness.. but it MEANS that they can't help it right ? I dunno how you could NOT Help sticking things that dont belong to you in your pockets and walking off with them. And what do they do with all these things they steal ? how do their friends now notice that the person has their belongings when they go to their house. HOW DO THEY NOT GET CAUGHT!! lol. I dunno. But i do know it would be a hard friendship to keep!
2 people like this
17 Dec 07
I'd try and help them, when it becomes to much to do. I'd try and get others to help them, i'd never stop seeing them but I would remove the things of value from around them to be safe. ~Joey
2 people like this
@meme0907 (3481)
• United States
11 Jan 08
Hey l_w, I would have to limit the time I allowed someone who told me they were a klepto in my house-I once caught a friend (what appeared to be) going through my pocket book,I never let my pocket book out of my sight again around her.If I had actually caught a friend stealing or saw them w/ my stuff I would probably cut off the friendship +'s |:)
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Dec 07
I most definitely would not end my relationship with a partner that had these issues! To do so is very shallow in my opinion..... I would help my partner seek help to cure the problem and it is only after they refused to try to change this behaviour that I would consider ending anything. To have this type of affliction will easily be remedied the hard way if they do not fix it - and that is by being arrested! It is a behavioural condition and these things can be changed if this person seeks the right advice and can replace the feelings that cause this.
1 person likes this
@jeb083079 (839)
• Philippines
19 Dec 07
Just a theory, maybe the girl really wants to end up the relationship already so she told your friend that she is a kleptomaniac so that your friend will be disgusted at her and would not like her anymore. It's one way to let go of a person, tell him or her some thing which he or she would never like. It's just a theory. :-)
@jillmalitz (5131)
• United States
17 Dec 07
I would gently approach her about it. Someone who steals like that has issues.They must be confronted and made to talk about why they do this. They usually deny that they do but once they know that you are on to the situation and that you dont apporove and want the stuff back,maybe they will understand. If it continues and they dont realize the problem and get control, then it may be time to distance yourself.
1 person likes this
@cefaz_21 (2596)
• Philippines
20 Dec 07
If it's in my family, i would definitely help them to get help..and would really do something for them to get over it.. for friendship..maybe I'll do the same,ask if she wants help and if she said yes..then would seek help for her..but if she doesn't want to..I'll stay away from her..it's hard to be friends with someone liuke that.
@rb200406 (1824)
• India
30 Dec 07
Well I would also do the same.I will keep distance from the same.
• United States
17 Dec 07
If someone were to admit that to me then I would not allow them into my house without keeping a very close eye on that person. But I would not shun the person just watch and make sure that others know of his problem because it needs to be treated.
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Dec 07
What a hard question. I use to think I had enough love to last though anything. Now I think I would have to think of my safety. If I was married it would be harder than if I was just his girlfriend. Having a boyfriend who is a klepto is easier to break up with then a husband.
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
19 Dec 07
From what I just read it is a compulsive disorder and that some don't even know they do it until after they do. But to answer your question, no I wouldn't leave my husband if he told me that he was a kleptomaniac. No, I wouldn't keep my distance either, I would keep closer watch over them to help prevent it and when I see them commit the theft I would try to stop them. It is a disease that can be helped some through certain medications. Well it tends to help the compulsiveness of it it says anyhow. But just because they have this disorder is not a reason to leave them or keep a distance just keep a eye on your stuff and do pocket checks often. Because if you truly love the person you can weather it in a realtionship. No different then one saying they were bi-polar, ADHD, walking in your sleep or some other disorder. It would be different if they just right out admitted they did it because they got a thrill fom it or they did it for pleasure or just the high some get from stealing. So, I would batton down the hatches and ride out the storm with the relationship. Love will see many through the toughest time and then some.
• United States
18 Dec 07
Kleptomaniacs are sick..people with a neurosis..They are not evil and with medicine and counseling can curb this. Marginalizing them will not be a good thing.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
18 Dec 07
I would keep my distance. It would be too much of a worry being with someone who is a kleptomaniac. You never would know what they would take. Even if they promised to get help, I would be very wary. Real;ly, people with a "condition" should admit it much earlier to someone who may be important to them.
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
18 Dec 07
This is a hard topic to respond to cause I really wouldn't know what I would do unless it actually happened to me. I might try to help the person get help for his/her problem.
@Impervious (1147)
• United States
18 Dec 07
Dump her any response more than that I am afraid will be stolen.
• Philippines
18 Dec 07
oh my ... i'm sorry but i just find that insensitive of your friend to simply break up with his girlfriend... i mean it could have taken great courage for his girlfriend to confess to him hoping to find some sincere help with someone perhaps you consider intimate with .... if i were your friend, i wouldn't break up with her, i just simply appreciate and value those kind of people who took a lot of effort and courage to confess their weaknesses ( and i don't think they like that in their selves) and its just so unfair to break up and leave.... i don't she confessed to steal some more.... i think she needed help .....