Compulsive shoplifting associated with AS

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I shoplifted when I was around 12 years old. I took a basketball history book, read it, and cherished it. I learned quite a bit from it.

A little later, I tried to take a set of jacks with a ball. I was really into jacks at the time because a girl I knew was into jacks. I didn't feel sexual for her, because I didn't know how that felt--but I felt a friendship bond.

I got caught shoplifting the jacks and ball set. They threatened to call my mother. I got scared. I never shoplifted again.

To you guys who don't steal anymore, do you still want to or not?

Never felt a desire to steal again. Honestly.

Sometimes, I feel like pushing buttons, or opening car doors when I'm moving, though. Very dangerous.

Thats good except for wanting to open car doors lol.

I still do want to take things if I'm not busy with other things :/. Not a lot interests me enough so i always have to keep busy with things that are boring just for something to do.

Don't worry LOL....I have enough control not to open car doors while they are moving. My life is too precious.

Personally, I'm not blaming autism on my shoplifting..what I'm doing is trying to find out why I do it and what I can do to stop it..because I don't want to. I've been doing it my whole life..and I'm 39..I've done time in jail...not just a few hours or days either..but around 4 months each time. I've had severe consequences yet keep doing it...and I've talked to therapists about it but it hasn't helped. I haven't worked on the issue in years though, with a professional...and never with AS in the picture. So I'm hoping that now that I have an accurate diagnosis..that I can really fix this..because I'm going to end up really ruining my life over it..even more than I already have. So AS isn't an excuse, but a piece of my puzzle.l

I never shoplifted. I'd feel too nervous about getting caught. Being socially awkward can attract more attention from employees & security.

I shoplifted a few times as a kid and as a teen. I never felt bad about it but I never felt good about it either. Not sure why I started but it never became a habit. Maybe like 5 times in my entire life.

I would never steal anything from a store, and it just sounds like more negativity to make NTs think we should all be locked up.

I don't get the thrill of stealing something that's cheap or small, or even big and expensive. Plus if I did try I'd probably be caught because it would be impossible to hide my nervousness and guilt. And then I might never be allowed in that store again. Stealing is wrong. The only exception is when a starving person with no money steals food just to survive, which unfortunately is illegal, at least in most developed countries. Although there are shelters and kitchens where poor people can get food for free.

I did it a couple of times myself but that was many years ago. I admit it did give me a sort of "high" feeling like I could outsmart people by doing something very illegal.

But I actually thought this behavior was caused more from my Bipolar Disorder than my Aspergers. Whenever I get very manic I do all kinds of dangerous and stupid things.

One time I actually walked into somebody else's house after running away from home and I took a nap in their bedroom. When they came home and saw me they actually threatened to shoot me but they called the police instead. I feel horrible every time I think about it.

I shop lifted once coz I was poor and couldn't afford the two Marvin the Martian fridge magnets that I wanted.
And then another time I went on a bit of a spree that started coz my friend was showing off on a really hot summer afternoon buying ice creams for him and his two younger brothers and, again, I was too poor to buy one for me and my little brother. My friend kept encouraging me to do it every other day for the next fortnight or so but I had to stop because the shop owner was a really nice guy and we shared the same favourite sports team (looking back, he probably knew I was doing it and felt too sorry to do anything).
I started trying to repay what I stole by buying a 600ml bottle of Dr Pepper every time I walked past his store (that maroon of the Dr Pepper design was similar to our sport teams colour so he had a huge Dr Pepper sign on the side of the shop for a while). But no matter how many times I did that I still owed him. That compulsion to buy Dr Pepper whenever I see it has stayed with me to this day (it's not that common in Australia).

In response to lostonearth35, for some people it isn't about a "thrill" or for fun....but a serious issue called kleptomania. It's a compulsion and I do it even though I don't want to..and even though I know what the consequences are and I've been to jail over it multiple times. I hate that I do it...and can only control it for so long. I feel horrible about it because it hurts my children when I have to go to jail and to know that I'm such a bad example and mother because of it. I'm getting help for it now, I'm working on it with my psychologist and psychiatrist...I'm 39 and this has been an issue for me since childhood. It isn't because of the ASD but the ASD doesn't help.. Because kleptomania is an impulse control disorder...and having anxiety, autism, and ADHD along with being a recovering drug addict...only makes the kleptomania that much worse. Having another mental health diagnosis is actually a big risk factor for the disorder. So please don't be so quick to judge...and who gives a rat's ass what NTs think...if they're so ignorant that they think everyone with autism is the same..that's on them.