Have you ever met a clinically diagnosed Kleptomaniac?

[KitchenWitch]

[Droopy]

1. What's a Kleptomaniac?

[KitchenWitch]

2. a person who compulsively steals - is compelled to by some mental defect

[Droopy]

4. Ah, well I've met a few thieves in my time

I don't know if they did it out of compulsivity or poverty.

[knowbody0]

5. actually they are compelled

to do so, and in fact they describe the moment of actually seizing the object as orgasmic, and that feeling is what they crave. the good feeling is crapped on by the guilt they feel for stealing.

[chookie]

8. Did you know...

Interesting that you describe the theft as being akin to orgasm.

The Marquis de Sade, in this autobiography, says something very similar, although he says theft is a kind of rape experience.

[knowbody0]

3. why yes i have

[evlbstrd]

6. My lying thief sister-in-law.

Do you know her?

[chookie]

7. Yes

a fascinating person. Extremely talented. Was very charming, so very very few suspected. Totally compulsive behavior. (Clinically she was bi-polar; symptomatically ONE of her crazy behaviors was kleptomania.)

[swag]

9. No, she has not been diagnosed

but she sure can lift the stuff.

Former roommate. What a gal!

[elshiva]

10. I've had the feeling and USED to steal a lot, but I stopped.

I returned what was not damaged. I was so paranoid that cops would get me. I will never go through that again!

[lenidog]

11. Yes but I stole the doctor's notes so no one knows