a small shopping cart toy filled with shopping bags

Do you turn to “retail therapy” when you’re feeling down? Do you sometimes regret your purchases? Spend more than you were planning to? You may be suffering from shopping addiction – and it’s more serious and more common than you might think.

As Western consumer culture spreads worldwide and advertising campaigns continue to skyrocket, resisting the urge to splurge seems more difficult and less necessary. We are bombarded with media telling us shopping will make us happy. Shopping is a socially acceptable and encouraged pastime. But when does a love for shopping become out of control?

Although the term ‘shopaholic’ is used lightly, shopping can become a serious addiction. Shopping addicts will continue to shop despite the growing negative consequences of their behaviour such as financial distress, relationship difficulties, and problems at work.

Shopping Addiction vs Regular Shopping

Before we take a deep dive into the causes, types, and anything else associated with being addicted to spending money, we need to make one thing clear – shopping addiction is a very serious problem that many people don’t even realize they have due to the culture of overconsumption that is very much being perpetuated by social media. 

Not to mention that there’s still some disagreement among experts about whether compulsive spending disorder should be considered an addiction even though there is no psychoactive substance that causes the harmful behavior. 

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

REGULAR SHOPPINGSHOPPING ADDICTION
– Buys only the things they need or that they will use
– No compulsion
– Does not create financial problems for the buyer
– Occasional splurge
– Usually buys things that are not needed and that end up not being used
– Compulsive shopping behavior
– Often ends in financial difficulties
– Constant overbuying

Impact of Spending Addiction

Shopping addiction can have several consequences on your life. The first and most obvious one is financial difficulties. Shipping addicts often go beyond their means to satisfy the craving for buying new things, even going to extreme lengths such as getting loans, first from friends, family and banks, and then, once they’re unable to do that, turning to shady sources. 

Secondly, having a shopping addiction can have a negative effect on the relationship between the addict and their loved ones. As mentioned, those with shopping addiction don’t realize that they have a problem and become defensive once someone points out to them that maybe their behavior is not as healthy as they perceive it to be. Also, just like with other addiction types, the person who has a problem will distance themselves from those close to them so that the

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

Types of Overspending Addiction

Addiction to spending money comes in many forms.

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 like just because they have a good price, leading to excessive money spending.

Collector 

With collectors, the impulse to buy is usually more present when it comes to a specific type of item. They feel the urge to own complete sets or collections, disregarding the financial consequences it might bring.

Signs of Shopping Addiction

Are you or a loved one addicted to shopping? These 10 shopping addiction symptoms adapted from Project Know: Understanding Addiction suggest when a shopping habit turns problematic:

  • Your closets are full of unopened items and clothing with the price tags attached.
  • You regularly buy things you don’t need or weren’t intending to purchase.
  • You have maxed out credit cards from shopping binges.
  • You shop when you are feeling down or depressed, after an argument, or as a pick me up (so-called “retail therapy”).
  • You regret purchases once you get home.
  • You have arguments with loved ones about your spending habits.
  • You feel anxious before, during, or after a shopping spree.
  • You feel a strong urge to shop or buy things.
  • You hide your purchases and spending from loved ones.
  • You spend a considerable amount of time thinking about, planning, and going on shopping excursions.

Generally speaking, a shopping addiction involves getting pleasure from spending money on purchasing things – those addicted often feel “high” when making a purchase, but as soon as they get home from their shopping spree, the products that they purchased don’t bring them satisfaction anymore and often end up tossed aside and never reached for again. 

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, that might have an impact on one’s susceptibility to developing an addiction. Sometimes it might also be accompanied by substance abuse.

The Cycle of Shopping Addiction

Shopping addiction, unfortunately, is a circle that will continue to happen unless you break it.

a graphic representing the circle of shopping addiction
  • It all starts with a trigger—an upsetting event, negative emotions, or even just feeling bored. Once you feel them, you will feel the need to change them through a purchase. 
  • Then comes the urge—you feel the need to go shopping and buy something even if it wasn’t the case before. 
  • After the urge comes acting out on it. You cannot wait any longer, and you make the purchase you got excited about, often going beyond what you can actually afford. It will most likely provide you with a temporary sense of control and happiness. 
  • Once the shopping addict is done shopping and comes back home, they will more than likely experience feelings of guilt and regret, as well as disappointment with their purchase. They might also have a moment of clarity realizing how much the unnecessary spending affected their finances. 
  • Finally, despite experiencing negative emotions, they will also experience temporary relief due to satisfaction of their shopping addiction. 

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

Shopping Addiction – Causes 

There’s actually no exact data on what causes shopping addiction. As mentioned, mental disorders might contribute to the likelihood of someone developing it, among other factors, including:

Exposure to Excessive Advertising and Materialism 

Globalisation and increased credit card lending, especially in Asia, contribute to the spread of an addiction which once only seemed possible in the Western world. 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 much.

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. The temporary “high” they feel allows them to forget about negative feelings. A popular way of calling this type of behavior is “retail therapy”. 

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, leading them to seek validation through material possessions. Once they make a purchase, their self-esteem temporarily increases, but once the feelings die down, it will go back to the pre-purchase level.

How to Stop Shopping Addiction

Shopping, just like any other addiction, needs to be treated – a comprehensive shopping addiction treatment involves several steps.

So, how to stop compulsive shopping?

Recognizing the Problem 

The first step, regardless of what addiction we’re talking about, is recognizing that there is a problem. If you know that your loved one has a shopping addiction, but they themselves don’t believe it and refuse to admit it, there’s not much you can do. Remember – the road to recovery cannot be forced, otherwise it might lead to the exact same behavior once the addict stops treatment.

Better Finance Management 

A shopping addict will need help getting their finances in order, especially since the addiction is often accompanied by debts. First of all, it’s important to sit down and take a close look at the finances – do they have debt? Or maybe the financial difficulties didn’t go that far? Realizing what you’re dealing with can be very helpful in creating a plan of action.

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.

Professional Help 

The best way to go about addiction is to get professional help – whether that involves getting regular therapy sessions or opting for a live-in treatment center is completely up to you. While both of them have their pros and cons, the latter might, in the long run, end up being more beneficial.

Often, what prevents full addiction recovery is still being in the environment that caused it in the first place. With a treatment center located in another country, such as the one we run in Chiang Mai, Thailand, you can let yourself fully immerse in the 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.

About the Author

Lee Daniel Hawker-Lecesne

Lee Daniel Hawker-Lecesne

Clinical Programme Director at The Cabin Lee graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in the UK with a degree in Behavioural Science and a postgraduate clinical focus on addictions from the University of Bath. Lee is a focused and ambitious individual who has in-depth training and experience in a broad range of clinical psychological interventions in the treatment of addiction, dual diagnosis, and complex trauma.

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