List of reasons why addicts steal. I confess, the last one is mine. definition of theft as taking someone’s money or property from that particular someone , either openly or sneakily , with no intention of ever returning it. This includes traditional theft, as well as borrowing without any intention of repaying, and/or scams , frauds, etc. Here is a list of why addicts say it is OK for them to steal. 1. I have helped that person out, and she owes me. 2. I have helped that person out and she owes me more than this. 3. I taught that person a valuable lesson about not trusting people. That person would have lost a lot more than this if someone else had taught him the lesson. (This reason kind of falls under the category of they owe me.). 4. The certain item is not very good quality, or it is old technology, or it is shabby and dirty. (You get the idea) 5. I am having a hard time. 6. I am having a hard time and that person ought to want to help me. 7. I am having a hard time and that person would want to help me if that person knew about it. 8. that person would want me to have this item or money. 9. He would do the same thing to me if he had the chance. 10. He did the same thing to me when he had the chance. 11. He did worse to me. 12. She is flaunting her abundance of items when she knows that I do not have even one item, and the person knows that I want or need the item. 13. That person is lucky I don’t take more than this or that i don’t have other people take more than this. 14. He no longer deserves to be repaid because of some offense towards me or towards someone else. 15. The circumstances under which I made the commitment to repay have changed. 16. It’s not for drugs. 17. He shared with someone else and not me. 18. She doesn’t use it and won’t miss it. 19. I only steal from stores not people. 20. The person only loses the first $50. The bank covers the rest. 21. At least I’m not hitting little old ladies over the head and taking their purses. 22. It is not my fault that I need it. 23. It is not stealing if it is for something important. 24. I used to be a lot worse. 25. I had a bad childhood. 26. I really feel bad about taking it. 27. This next one is not popular but I find it amusing. By stealing from someone I am helping him repay a karmic debt because in some lifetime the person must have stolen from another. 28. I know what rules to follow. I do not need society to govern my behavior the way some people do. 29. I want to show that person that we are not as cool as the person thought we were. 30. That’s what she gets for making an unwanted and disgusting sexual advance. 31. This is the first or last or only time I do this. 32. Had I asked the answer would have been “no.” 33. Because he hit me in the past, I am going to tax him by stealing from him every chance I get until one of us is dead. It’s like a weird form of marriage.