what about shoplifting and shopping addiction
Dear Bipolar Connection,
I guess the last newsletter that had the quiz and article on shopping addiction has been on my mind especially since I scored a 15 out of 15. Anyway I want to know does shoplifting figure into the shopping addiction m.o.? Not only have I caused myself to be evicted for spending my rent money on shopping not even thinking of how was I gonna pay my rent now, you know. But I have found that I get like a rush from shoplifting. I dont like this in me at all. I am not a thief at heart. I feel a lot of remorse but i cant seem to help it when my money has run out and i still want to shop. Not even getting caught and being charged for petty larceny has stopped me. Is that not crazy or what? Can you help me to stop this before I cause myself even worse problems than being evicted and that is pretty bad.
I also forgot I am diagnosed with bipolar disorder with psychotic features and borderline personality disorder and ptsd.
Thank you,
Melissa Harris
HI Melissa,
When i'm high I can spend like there's no tomorrow and without any thought to the consequences of my actions. When I was younger I did a little shoplifting but that was more about wanting to fit in and have the things my friends had - still I think undiagnosed mental illness had something to do with it as thinking back it felt manic, really manic. But that's no excuse for it, and I did very little and was very lucky not to get into trouble. But then again there was that no care about consequences thing happening.
I don't know much about shopping addiction, only about bipolar shopping - I don't feel addicted I just feel euphoric, on top of the world, and I want to share the love - I often spend more on others than on myself. It doesn't really fit into shoplifting as I don't feel I have to have the things, only that I feel happy and sparkly and that i'm invincible (it's credit cards that have been my downfall) and i'm out of control with money and don't care (or even know really). My child has had some very interesting times when i've been manic - kind of hard for her to come to terms with my stability and therefore my saying "no" a lot more when we are out shopping!
Hope that helps.
N
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