New Netflix series “Trinkets” is an adapted of the YA novel by Kirsten Smith of the same name,  following Elodie (Brianna Hildebrand), Moe (Kiana Madeira), and Tabitha (Quintessa Swindell) who all come from different social circles but became friends thanks to their shoplifting addiction.

Being the new kid can be one of the biggest challenges of anyone, but imagine being that new kid in high school. Elodie is forced to adjust to her new family and surroundings of Portland, Oregon following her mother’s death in a car accident. The pain of loss still being new the way she grieves is to shoplift. In a Shoplifter Anonymous meeting, she said    

“Trinkets” is an artistic look at how the habit of shoplifting can come into effect when someone is trying to regain a sense of control, Kristen Smith thinks the idea of shoplifting is particularly appealing to audiences that might be grappling with similar issues.

“A lot of young women are perhaps drawn to it because they don’t have enough control and power so it’s a way to seize it even if it’s misguided. It’s a way to fill some holes that you have inside with possessions,” Smith said. “I really wanted to get into what are the things that make you susceptible to this addiction. It’s a real thing. We wanted to explore all of these things in a way as earnest and true as possible.”

Tabitha’s reasoning for shoplifting is a need for control, as she feels the control has been lost in her abusive relationship. As she begins to find that power throughout the series her shoplifting lessons.

Elodie whose life is somewhat coming apart at the seams feel in order for her to take back what she has lost it is only right to take items away from others and the feeling it gave her is euphoric. In the first episode Elodie leaves a party she was unwillingly dragged too and wines up in front of a convenience store. As she goes down the aisle lifting a slim jim here and a pack of starburst their music begins to play as if she were performing an elaborate dance in front of an audience. That feeling of bliss is cut short after running into the security guard who then says “Really?”

Even when we see her suitcase full of items she’s lifted, the smile on her face is one that comes from great accomplishment.

“Some start after a loss, trauma, betrayal, or some difficult transition in their life,” he says. While there’s a buffet of maladaptive coping mechanisms people may gravitate towards during troubling times, such as substance abuse or gambling, shoplifting provides a specific type of thrill,” said Terry Shulman, author of Something for Nothing: Shoplifting Addiction and Recovery.

Shulman hopes that people who see Trinkets and are also struggling with shoplifting might be compelled to find support.