Do's and Don't's for Friends of Kleptomaniacs

Do’s and Don’t’s for the partners, family and friends of individuals with impulsive stealing behaviors & Kleptomania

• Don’t Preach and lecture the family member who steals.
• Don’t Make excuses for the person who steals.
• Don’t Rescue – let the family member who steals clear up his/her own mistakes and assume responsibility for   the consequences of his/her stealing behavior.
• Don’t Make threats you won’t carry out.
• Don’t Believe that you are the cause of the person’s stealing behavior.
• Don’t Accept blame from the person who steals about their behavior.
• Don’t Try to protect the person from stealing situations.
• Don’t Make an issue over the person’s choice of treatment.
• Don’t Expect immediate, 100% recovery.  Recovery takes time; relapse can be a part of that.
• Do Seek professional help and 12-step support.
• Do Talk to someone who understands impulsive and compulsive stealing.
• Do Learn the facts about impulsive stealing, Kleptomania and compulsive stealing.
• Do Learn about yourself, your needs and desires, reactions and behavior patterns.
• Do Maintain a healthy and consistent atmosphere in your home as much as possible.
• Do Take care of your needs and let the family member who steals take care of his/her needs.
• Do Share your knowledge with others.
• Do Be committed to your own growth, health and life goals – be constructively self focused.
• Do Be supportive of your family members efforts and genuine work to recover.
• Do Give yourself time to heal from the impact of impulsive stealing behavior.
• Do Consider couples or family therapy once you have both begun the recovery process.

Related Pages

• Compulsive Stealers, from Celebrities to Regular Joes
• Compulsive Stealing and the Holidays
• Complex Shame, Control and Remorse in Individuals with Kleptomanis