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You have spent a hefty amount of money on a hotel room. It’s equipped with some awesome artwork, artifacts, hairdryers, and other nice things. They are there for you to use and enjoy during your stay at the hotel.

But, are these items there for you to take home with you?

What tempts a person from stealing from a hotel room:

Laziness Your clothes are hanging on the hotel’s hangers, and it is so easy to take them home with the hanger rather than to take them off the hanger, fold them and pack them. Many hotels today have started using hangers without hooks to stop their hangers from leaving their premises.

Thrill I don’t need this vase, but can I leave the hotel with it? I know someone who “stole” a menu from a 5-star hotel restaurant. It was promptly discarded. But there was a thrill of leaving the restaurant with a large menu concealed under a jacket. The same goes for cutlery and salt and pepper shakers.

Petty Greed People are known to remove light bulbs and remote batteries to take home with them.

Stupidity The probability that the hotel’s television remote will work with your TV at home is very low. Yet people steal them to test and then discard.

Larceny Removing valuables from the hotel room. Artwork, light fixtures, linen, towels, bathrobes, and other valuable items are often stolen.

Justification You are paying such a hefty amount of money for each night that you stay at the hotel. In your mind, it far exceeds the actual rent of that room. You do not realize your room rent also covers amenities that you may or may not have used, such as the swimming pool, gym, gardens, and other common spaces.

Kleptomania Quoting Mayo clinic, Kleptomania is a psychological disorder that is “the recurrent inability to resist urges to steal items that you generally don’t need and that usually have little value.”

Acceptable to remove?

In a discussion with a few hoteliers, it was understood that it is considered acceptable to help yourself to certain items in your hotel room. These are toiletries such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste (used and unused) as a hotel is obligated to replace these whether used or unused for hygiene purposes upon guest checkout. It is also acceptable to take the hotel stationary and the pen as these are marketing and brand-building activates of the hotel.

So why do people steal from hotels?

It is simpler to justify to oneself about stealing from an anonymous, large, rich organization, rather than from an individual. One feels that it easier to steal from a hotel chain that seems well-endowed, has so much more than you have.

While staying in a hotel room, if something appeals to you, instead of stealing it, simply call the front office and ask to purchase it from them. They will appreciate your gesture, and if feasible, sell it to you.

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All images courtesy Pixabay

Sometimes we have witnessed people, either in television or real life, where people are stealing things. The things the person steals are not of value or sometimes even of use, but yet they steal those things. This particular condition is known as kleptomania.

Definition

Kleptomaniacs derive thrill and pleasure out of stealing these things. The objects they steal are of little or no value at all. Also, after they have stolen the objects they either discard it, hoard it or even give it away. Kleptomania involves a lot of tension before stealing and a certain pleasure and gratification after they have stolen the object.

Also, kleptomaniacs do not steal the objects after a well-planned heist. It is in the moment they feel they want to steal and hence, they answer to their impulses. A person who is suffering from this condition doesn’t steal because of hallucination or personality disorder or conduct behaviour. They steal because they work according to their impulse. But, after they have stolen the object, they feel an insufferable amount of guilt and even depression.

Symptoms:

As mentioned earlier, people who are suffering from kleptomania are working according to their impulse. The objects they steal are not planned or even of monitory value. Kleptomania is different from shoplifting, as shoplifting involves a planned procedure. Shoplifters pick up objects because of their financial situation. But, Kleptomaniacs work according to their impulse. Thus, below are the symptoms of kleptomania:

Impulses:

They are unable to control their impulses constantly. Thus, making them steal every time their impulse tells them.

Tension:

Before they are about to steal anything, their tension level increases. Hence, acting according to their impulse to control their tension.

Feelings During:

At the time of the theft, they start feeling a certain kind of gratification and relief. Thus, helping them to control their tension.

No relation to Psychosis:

Kleptomaniacs do not have symptoms of psychosis. That is hallucinations or expressions of revenge or anger or even antisocial personality. As mentioned, it is an impulse.

Kleptomania is not a very common mental health issue, but it is still prevalent. It can occur at any age, to children, adolescents or even late adulthood. Also, the reasons for kleptomania can be many, and most of the time it occurs with other mental health issues like depression, bipolar or OCD.

But, it is curable with psychotherapy and medication. Hence, if you or someone you know is suffering from this disorder, then please visit a mental health professional immediately.

Learn More about Dr Prerna Kohli