Shopping addiction and its symptoms
Do you have a shopping addiction?
Be it the latest model of a gadget, a new designer piece of clothing, or even food, we’ve all been intrigued with the urge to splurge once in a while. However, this should come with no surprise since we are encouraged to spend as a way to boost the economy, or we want to have what others have, or we’re just being bombarded with advertisements reinforcing our shopping mentality. Occasionally spending is not necessarily a bad thing when it is moderately done without disrupting family finances.
If this urge becomes uncontrollable and you are found to be spending beyond your means on things you don’t need, a shopping addiction can be as damaging as an addiction to alcohol or gambling. Oniomania or compulsive shopping, commonly known as shopping addiction, is probably the most socially acceptable addiction. This is because we have advertisements saying that buying will lead to happiness.
What is a shopping addiction?
Shopping addiction is a behavioral addiction involving compulsive buying as a means to feel good or dodge negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, depression, etc. Just like any other behavioral changes, this can also lead to the downfall of other aspects in your life. When left untreated, this addiction can come between your mental and emotional health causing problems to arise in areas like relationships, career, education and finances.
What are some of the symptoms that you should look out for?
A few signs that you are getting into a shopping addiction are below.
- Spending in abundance :You spend way more than what you intended to every time you shop. You might also use the money that you saved up for something else in the same transaction.
- Compulsive purchases : You might buy things that you don’t need or purchase vast quantities of the same product, for example 15 black dresses or 6 pairs of shoes.
- Chronic shopping : You might overspend money every time you shop or shop at higher frequencies than normal.
- Making excuses : You might beat around the bush before getting to the point of what you bought because you’re looking for a justification as to why you bought it. You might not be accurate in telling the price since you know it’s a lot. You might even lie that you never bought it to avoid any further questions.
- Feeling guilty : Almost all shopping addicts feel sad, guilty, angry or some form of negative emotion following the joy and pleasure they experienced while shopping.
- Unstable relationships : Your partners might express that they are lonely or you do not give as much attention as before since most of that time goes with you shopping for things you might or might not need.
- Being money obsessed : You might be so obsessed with money that you believe that money alone can bring you happiness since you love the euphoria in making a purchase.
- Turning toward credits : You might purchase items on credit if you don’t have the cash to buy it and you would love to max out the credit cards.
What do you do if you have a Shopping Addiction?
Overcoming an addiction requires you to learn an alternate way of handling emotions like stress, anxiety and distress. You can either do this on your own or resort to therapy and counselling. Another way of reducing the problem of compulsive purchasing is by making your own spend plan.
Originally written by me and published at https://medium.com on November 4, 2020.