I’m addicted to shoplifting and got caught today

[Shamefaced23]

And banned nationally from that supermarket for life .
I am bipolar and did it to get a high - I’ve been addicted to alcohol and cutting myself in the past.
I’m so ashamed , I’m worried my family will find out.
I did wrong and I admit it . Is there anywhere I can get help.

Can you get delivery of clothing rather than click and collect?

You might have to get a friend to help return things though

Also the scare will die down you will minimise it and you might try to shoplift again you should seek help

You’re just going to steal from another store. You haven’t learned your lesson. This fear will die down and you’ll do it again.

You need to tell people. You need to get help.

Well you've badly let your child down if it's only that brand they will wear

You'll have to order online and suck up the delivery charge

If you go back and get caught then police may be involved. With 2 other known offences you need to be very careful

How would you cope with a custodial sentence ?

I really feel for you op

but you have insight and that’s the first step

do you have children? Do you work? Don’t worry about what happened today - unlikely police pursue unless more than £250 I think

I do work, yes I have a child with autism. Thankfully they weren’t with me at the time

ok you do

OP - don’t worry about this getting out.

You just have to never shop in Argos or sainsbury’s again.
suck up the delivery charge!!

Here’s your plan.

never return to Sainsburys or Argos

shop online if need things from sainsburys

and stop. From today.

tomorrow appointment with your Gp booked and be100% honest

Not all Sainsburys have number plate recognition, I don't think? Where I live, one of the Sainsburys with an Argos is on a retail park with lots of other shops around it so there is little chance of you being caught out there. But I agree with other people, you need to go to the GP or Mental Health worker to get the help you need otherwise it might happen again in another shop. Eventually you will have a different car so I can't see a lifetime ban across all stores sticking.

Presumably a lifetime ban from entering all of their stores does not include a ban on all transactions (ie online shopping)? I’d go online and order a tshirt just to check.

I have no expert knowledge but I would avoid going back to any Sainsbury's for now, go back to GP and see if you can get a letter explaining your behaviour. Failing that throw yourself at the mercy of Sainsbury's management and write them a letter explaining your mental health issues. Hopefully you can get the ban lifted eventually.

@AlmostAJillSandwich I've asked mumsnet to look at your comment as you are being very cruel to someone with a mental health condition.
OP needs to seek more support but that doesn't excuse the way you are talking to her.

It’s unusual for someone with bipolar to need to seek a high. I wonder if your diagnosis is correct? Especially as a mood stabiliser isn’t stabilising your mood. I think your focus should be on your mh . Good luck

I think my diagnosis is correct, I was diagnosed 20 years ago. I think I also have borderline personality disorder and bad coping strategies.

OP my late father was a diagnosed kleptomaniac, he developed it after a head injury. My dad was hard working and honest as the day is long, he would go through phases and we always knew when he was having an ‘episode’ as his whole personality changed, his condition would follow a pattern. There is help out there, please see your GP. My dad was banned from Asda for a while because of it.

Reported!!

I can't imagine staff in any of the stores other than the one you've got caught in will have any clue who's banned and who isn't.

OP isn’t well. She’s not just doing it for shits and giggles. You’re either not a nice person or unable to think about the situation for 30 seconds before not being a nice person.

This is put really harshly, but you do have to seek help, OP, so your mental illness doesn't impact too adversely on your child.

We would all know local shoplifters when I worked in retail!

We would be shown

Get caught after being banned and it escalates, you've had your 'chance'

OP, what you did was wrong, but if it was the result of your mental health condition, there is no point in beating yourself up about it. Please talk to your doctors and try to get some help.

I doubt that the supermarket ban is actually enforceable - I can't see how they would do it!

Do friends or family ever confide in you out of interest?

Ghastly and insensitive post. Compulsion and thrill seeking is not easily managed as op will attest