San Diego, Encinitas Therapist: What Do I Do If My Adult Child Steals From Me?

As a San Diego and Encinitas therapist over the years I have had calls from distraught parents with the question, “What do I do when my adult child steals from me?” Unfortunately all too often this behavior is associated with the adult child’s addiction to drugs. Most of the calls are from mothers who have enabled their son’s (usually) for many years, not having set boundaries for them. Sometimes their sons have even been aggressive against their mothers and the mothers still continue to enable their sons. This is often a very dangerous situation. It is also heartbreaking for the mother who has to admit that their son is beyond their help.  All too often the mother is afraid of their own son and is at their wit’s end as to what to do. That’s often when I get their desperate call. What to do at this point? Sometimes the only thing that can be done is to take measures to be safe. Put new locks on the doors, install a security system, tell a friend about the situation, even let the police or sheriff know of the potential danger. One of the things these unfortunate mothers must deal with is their own sense of shame and embarrassment about the situation. Perhaps it helps to know that you are not alone if this is happening to you. Counseling can help with the feelings of isolation and embarrassment. Don’t let this situation go without doing something about it, both for your safety and for your peace of mind.