^^ Chill...
Anyways, at 24-25 I was drinking, hard. I never had any money cause I would spend it on drugs and alcohol, so when I would have the urge to drink (which was 5 times a week almost) I would go to my local super market - which was way too close to my house - and would steal 1/5th of booze all the time. At first I used to only steal tall cans of beer, and I did it so often I decided to step it up, and started stealing cases or 1/5ths within only a few months. I even found ways to scam the self check out machines to steal tons of booze and look like I was paying for it. Since I never had to pay I started drinking even more and more and more. It spiraled out of control. Over the course of almost a year, did I get caught? Thank god no, but it was pure luck. My neighbor would steal a lot too, and one day he left the store and he was walking down the street and someone was walking way far behind him in plain clothes. Turns out that guy was the head of "loss prevention." My neighbor went down the street, got in his car and 5 cops pulled up in front of him. He was not only charged with petty theft, but because it was alcohol and he got in his car he got a DUI even though he was sober. It ruined his life pretty much. Everything fell apart after that. His parents found out about all the stealing and then tore through his house and found all sorts of drugs, so they basically disowned him. He started doing lots more drugs to deal with his mental problems, before he knew it he was addicted to opiates and benzo's and stealing from his parent's house, his friends, other stores, etc. He blew off court and was arrested and thrown in jail, no one would bail him out.
I was so lucky, so unbelievably lucky, that I never got caught. It would have been an absolute disaster. When I saw my neighbor spiral downwards like that, it scared the shit out of me. Yet I continued to steal, clepto style. The rush is amazing, you get out of the store and turn the corner and feel like god but you know your only one camera shot away of going to jail. Before I knew it, I could steal so easily I would drink 1.5 1/5ths a night. My alcoholism just blew out of control.
So what's the point of my story. Well, as thrilling as it is, the consequences are way worse then you can imagine. If you feel pissed off at the world now, imagine if you get caught, or worse, become a full blown alcoholic like I was. It took me an OD on opiates and alcohol combo to stop stealing. The more you steal, the easier you think it is, the more you do it, the worse the consequences. I understand the rush, but it's not just because you are getting something free, it's cause your getting drugs for free. The only way you can prevent this downward spiral and save yourself is to treat the alcoholism. Whether or not you think you have a problem with alcohol, stealing to get it means you are willing to put your freedom at stake for alcohol... That's a problem. It can only get worse. I didn't get caught because of shear luck, I wish I got caught, yet if I got caught I might have never od'd, stop drinking and stop using opiates.
It can only get worse, and eventually something absolutely destructive WILL HAPPEN.
