Shopping: The Socially Acceptable Addiction

Do you turn to ‘retail therapy’ when you’re feeling down? Ever find yourself overspending only to regret it later? Maybe you’ve tried to cut back or quit, but it just never sticks. If so, you may be suffering from shopping addiction, and it’s more common (and serious) than you might think.

Shopping addiction has become increasingly common with the rise of social media and e-commerce. So, if you’re feeling like “treating yourself” has turned into a serious issue, you are not alone.

In this article, we will provide valuable analysis to help you discern the difference between regular shopping and compulsive shopping. Then, we’ll explain how to spot this condition in yourself or others, as well as provide some treatments for shopping addiction at the end.

Let’s get started.

Shopping Addiction vs. Regular Shopping

The main difference between shopping addiction and regular shopping is that, when someone is addicted to shopping, they buy things because of an uncontrollable compulsion. Not only that, but their uncontrollable urge to purchase things often leads to negative consequences in their lives, like financial difficulties or forsaking other activities just to get some shopping done.

A regular person will go shopping only when they need to or only once in a while as a treat for themselves. And when they do, they buy only what they can afford and what they intend to use.

Not a shopping addict. They buy just to satisfy the compulsion. They buy just to feed the urge. And when they go shopping, they buy anything they can get their hands on, often to the detriment of their personal lives.

See the difference? Before we take a deep dive into being addicted to spending money, we need to make one thing clear. Shopping addiction is a VERY serious problem. Many people don’t even realise they have it until they’re in too deep.

There’s also still some disagreement among experts on whether compulsive spending disorder should be considered an addiction. Many experts believe it’s not an addiction at all because the harmful behaviour is not caused by a psychoactive substance. We strongly disagree.

In fact, shopping addiction is far more common than most people think. According to a study published in the National Institutes of Health entitled The prevalence and psychological relation of problem shopping: data from a large-scale sample from Turkey and written by Unubol, Asaka, et al., 1.8% of subjects in their dataset had probable shopping addiction.

Here’s what you need to know about the differences between regular and compulsive spending so you can tell if you or a loved one might be struggling with shopping addiction.

Those with shopping addiction think what they’re doing is completely normal and something everyone else does too. That’s not exactly the case. There are several differences between regular shopping and shopping as an addict.

Shopping Addiction in the Age of Digital Cross-Addiction

It’s important to understand shopping addiction in the context of other digital addictions, so you can see how the process of addiction actually works. Recognizing this can help you break free by showing you that your struggle isn’t a moral failing, but that it’s about how the digital world is designed to keep you hooked.

We’ll start by saying that we are noticing a dramatic spike in the number of people diagnosed with poly-process addiction, meaning they are addicted to more than one type of process or behaviour like social media, shopping, or online gambling.

In the digital age, many people suffer from digital addiction without even realizing it. A few common examples are scrolling endlessly on social media, swiping on dating apps, or browsing products online. All of these addictions have the same underlying mechanism: they trigger dopamine spikes that make you want to keep going. Online shopping, in particular, is designed to feel effortless—endless choices, personalized recommendations, and one-click purchases all keep you hooked, just like chemical drugs do.

This is known as poly-process addiction, where multiple addictive behaviours feed into each other. If you’re struggling with compulsive shopping, you might also be chasing dopamine through social media, gambling apps, or dating platforms. 

We just want to say that this is not your fault. This is a disease. And don’t forget that companies spend billions engineering these systems to keep you hooked and lobbying against protective regulations.

Impact of Spending Addiction

Shopping addiction can have several negative consequences on your life, such as financial difficulties, negative effects on your relationships, and isolation. These effects on the addict’s life can be just as harrowing as the consequences of a drug addiction.

Let’s cover them all in a bit more detail here.

Let’s start with financial difficulties. Shopping addicts often go beyond their means to satisfy the craving for buying new things. This includes going to extreme lengths such as getting loans from friends, family, or banks. Then, once they’re unable to do that, they often turn to shady sources or to selling off personal items just to feed their addiction.

Having a shopping addiction can also have a negative effect on the relationships between the addict and their loved ones. As mentioned, those with shopping addiction don’t realise that they have a problem. Once someone questions the healthiness of their behaviour, they become defensive. 

You also need to think of the strain that financial issues, especially those due to addiction, can have on a family. For example, say that one person maxes out the family credit card and drains their savings just to purchase a new car. What type of effect do you think that would have on their partner and children?

Also, just like with other addiction types, the person who has a problem will distance themselves from those close to them so that their loved ones don’t notice their struggles. Every addiction attempts to isolate the person suffering from it. It’s a disease. Just like someone struggling with substance use might hide their behaviour, a shopping addict often feels the urge to shop in secret, away from the judgement or concern of loved ones.

Finally, those with a money-spending addiction often experience worsening mental health. The mental strain of the addiction itself, combined with a negative experience once the “high” from the purchase goes away, can contribute to poor mental health.

Types of Overspending Addiction

Addiction to spending money comes in many forms. Let’s cover some of the different types of overspending addiction, so you can recognise it in yourself or your loved ones and put an end to it.

Impulse Buyer

This type of shopping addiction involves buying things on the spur of the moment, even if you weren’t planning on doing it before. It is usually caused by the fear of never being able to find the item again and not wanting to miss out on it.

Bargain Hunter

A bargain hunter shopping addict is always on the lookout for a good deal, and once they see it, they are unable to resist it. They often buy things they don’t need or don’t even like just because “they’re a steal”. We are sure you can see how this leads to excessive spending.

Collector

Collectors often feel a strong urge to buy specific types of items, like bags, sneakers, or rare coins. The drive to complete a set can take over, sometimes leading them to spend more than they can afford without thinking about the financial impact. Collectors don’t care about owning the items, either. They care about the satisfaction that comes with having a full collection. Over time, this urge can become overwhelming. Why? Because collectors often hunt for rare pieces even when it strains their budget or causes stress in other areas of their lives.

Signs of Shopping Addiction

If you’re worried that you or someone you love might be addicted to shopping, we’ll walk you through some clear signs to look out for. If several of these sound familiar, it might be a good idea to reach out for help.

Here are 10 shopping addiction symptoms. We’ve adapted them from Project Know: Understanding Addiction. A shopping habit is problematic when:

Generally speaking, a shopping addiction involves getting pleasure from spending money on purchasing things. When you’re addicted, you often feel “high” when making a purchase. However, as soon as you get home from your shopping spree, the euphoric feeling fades, and the satisfaction from spending money disappears. 

The only thing that will satisfy your urge is to do MORE shopping. See the negative cycle of addiction at play here? 

Usually, shopping addicts shop on their own, although they might make exceptions for those who enjoy shopping as much as they do. Otherwise, they avoid going on a shopping spree with others. Additionally, some people who suffer from shopping addiction also have other co-present mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression. These might have an impact on their susceptibility to developing an addiction. Sometimes it might also be accompanied by substance abuse.

The Cycle of Shopping Addiction

Shopping addiction, unfortunately, is a cycle that will continue to happen unless you break it. We want to cover how the cycle of addiction works so you can better understand your (or your loved one’s) situation and help break the cycle.

That won’t last long, however, and before they know it, the circle repeats itself.

Shopping Addiction – Causes

Many people assume shopping addiction only affects people who love luxury brands, but that’s not true. People can get hooked on buying anything—from shoes and gadgets to household items they never even use.

There’s no exact data on what causes shopping addiction. As mentioned, mental disorders are a major contributing factor. Some of the other major causes of shopping addiction are:

Exposure to Excessive Advertising and Materialism

Globalisation and increased credit card lending contribute to the spread of addiction all over the world. It’s no longer exclusive to the West—today, we’re seeing it in Asia and other regions. Hong Kong-based company ShopSimple boasts “ShopSimple: Your Next Shopping Addiction.” 

Mega malls are popping up around the world. People on holiday flock to shopping centres and markets. Credit card use and debt have reached an all-time high, yet people are still shopping beyond their means in order to have the latest in digital technology, fashion, and home decor.

On social media, we are surrounded by overconsumption and influencers telling us we need to “run” to shops just to buy a product we most likely won’t be using within a few months (if that).

Using Shopping as a Coping Mechanism

In many cases, a shopping addiction starts as a coping mechanism—a way to deal with negative emotions, such as stress, sadness, or anxiety. Does that sound familiar?

The temporary “high” they feel allows them to forget about negative feelings. A popular way of calling this type of behaviour is “retail therapy.” We hope that reading this gives you greater insight into your loved one’s (or your) condition and that you see that it’s NOT a moral failing. This is the same mechanism that drives addiction to alcohol or other drugs. It starts as a coping mechanism and eventually spirals into full-blown addiction.

Personality Characteristics

Shopping addicts often have similar personality characteristics. They tend to be easily influenced, kindhearted, and polite to others. They also usually isolate themselves and are lonely. 

In many cases, they have low self-esteem, which leads them to seek validation through material possessions. When they make a purchase, their self-esteem temporarily increases, but once the feelings die down, it goes right back to where it started. This drives them further and further into addiction since buying more things is the only way to “feed the craving”.

How to Stop Shopping Addiction

The best treatments for shopping addiction include professional therapy, better management of your finances, and recognising that you have a problem in the first place.

If you’re struggling with shopping addiction, know this: recovery is absolutely possible. It might feel overwhelming right now, but with the right steps and support, you can regain control.

Will it be easy? Probably not, but you don’t have to do it alone. Like any deeply ingrained habit, it takes time, patience, and the right environment. But every day, people overcome addictions just like this, and you can, too.

Here are some ways that can help you break free from compulsive shopping and build a healthier, more balanced relationship with money and spending:

Recognising the Problem

The first step, regardless of what addiction we’re talking about, is recognising that there is a problem. If you know that your loved one has a shopping addiction, but they don’t believe it and refuse to admit it, there’s not much you can do. Remember—the road to recovery cannot be forced.

Better Finance Management

A shopping addict will need help getting their finances in order, especially since this addiction normally comes with debt. It’s important to sit down and take a close look at their finances—do they have debt? Figuring out what you’re dealing with can be very helpful in creating a plan of action.

TIP: A good idea is to close all credit and debit cards the shopping addict might have and only use small amounts of cash that are needed for necessities to prevent impulse shopping.

Also, developing healthier mechanisms is crucial, as if you focus on other ways to spend your free time or deal with negative emotions, you might find yourself less likely to dedicate that time to spending money.

Often, what prevents full addiction recovery is still being in the environment that caused it in the first place. A treatment centre located in another country, such as the one we run in Chiang Mai, Thailand, lets you fully immerse yourself in your recovery process while surrounded by gorgeous landscapes.

The Bottom Line

So, is shopping addiction real? Yes, of course.

Spending addiction is an addiction just like any other, often leading to severe consequences on a person’s life, which is why addressing it as soon as possible is crucial. Left untreated, it can cause financial distress, losing relationships with your loved ones and worsening mental health, among other things.

So, how do you address it? Unfortunately, the fact that shopping is a socially acceptable behaviour may contribute to the denial that there is a problem. There is help available, and you or your loved one are not alone if you are suffering from addiction – all you have to do is reach for it.