Harmless Retail Therapy or Shopaholism?

Hands up, any of you who have lured friends to see the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic. Yeah, me too. Not like it was made for the Oscars, but for a feel-good chick-flick it was not too shabby.

The comedic heroine Rebecca Bloomwood in Sophie Kinsella's runaway bestseller is so lovable that you almost forget about the fact that she is thousands of dollars in credit card debt, jeopardizing her relationships with mounting lies, and in adamant denial of her shopping addiction.

Actress Isla Fisher does a splendid job portraying the plights of a shopaholic and embodying some classic shopping addiction behaviours, such as:

• spending a significant amount of time shopping and spending
• having an excuse for each shopping excursion and every purchase item
• feeling on top of the world after a purchase only to sink into guilt and shame when the high wears off
• being unable to stop shopping even though it is hurting loved ones

Sound familiar?

Rebecca's obsession with a green scarf is especially noteworthy. She sees it grazing the neck of a mannequin on her way to a job interview and talks herself into believing that the scarf will give her just the right edge to land the job she desperately needs to pay off her debts. And since the scarf is completely out of her budget, she splits the purchase between several credit cards to cover the cost, determined to be its new owner by going deeper into debt.

Of course, like a good comedy, the movie farcically exaggerates situations for some good laughs, but if Rebecca's shopping behaviours are resonating with you, it may be time to think about whether you may have a shopping addiction or be on your way to developing a shopping problem.

In addition to the types of behaviour mentioned above, some warning signs of shopping addiction include:

• not being able to limit purchases to specific items but having the compulsion to buy more
• owning a closet-full of never-worn items with the price tags still intact
• shopping whenever you need a pick-me-up or when you're down, angry, or afraid
• keeping purchases and shopping a secret from your parents or your spouse
• spending more and more time thinking about shopping and acting on it
• going into debt because of shopping and not being able to stop despite wanting to curtail spending
• having shopkeepers ask that you no longer shop at their stores

While all this may be good movie material, it's much less fanfare for the everyday sufferer of a shopping addiction and a lot more anxiety, guilt, and distress. At the end of the day, people with a shopping addiction are not any happier after an excursion than they were before.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Harmless-Retail-Therapy-or-Shopaholism

The exact cause of an addiction is not clear, but the contributions of years of studies have helped researchers identify its link to other addictive behaviours, such as alcohol, drugs, sex, and smoking. And shopaholism (also known as oniomania or compulsive buying disorder) is considered an addiction by some because it has many similarities to these other well-established addictions, where many of the same parts of the brain are activated and a similar experience of euphoria is felt. Just as alcohol is the abused substance in alcoholism, money is the abused substance in a shopping addiction.

Research tells us that people who suffer from addiction get a rush of dopamine (a chemical in the brain that is associated with pleasure and reward) when they are able to satisfy a craving such as going on a shopping binge. With time, they become dependent on the "rush." But inevitably after the immediate gratification of a great purchase comes the pangs of guilt, shame, and disappointment. This becomes an ongoing cycle that makes you feel powerless and out of control.

But shopaholism is more than the loss of willpower or self control – it is also a behavioural problem that may be traced back to your upbringing. Studies show that shopaholics may have learned such behaviours at home or may have experienced abuse in their early years, such as sexual abuse. And more often than not, a shopping addiction has a greater likelihood of being accompanied by at least one other addiction (e.g., substance use) or disorder (i.e., anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, impulse, mood (e.g., depression)).

An addiction to shopping can also be traced to the impact of your environment. North Americans are overexposed to marketing and advertising gimmicks that encourage and promote a shopping and materialistic lifestyle, and shopping has become a major pastime and way of life. It is reported that people start developing an unhealthy habit of excessive shopping in their late teens and early 20s, when they move away from home and experience freedom and get their own credit cards, generating large debts at a young age.

And with the widespread use of the internet, people of all ages are getting online to satisfy their shopping fix. Many retailers have online shops that make it easy to get what you need delivered right to your front door. People buy and sell their stash through sites like Kijiji, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace. The internet has made it easier to shop. While this does not necessarily lead to or cause a shopping addiction, it does make it harder for someone with a penchant for shopping to kick the habit or to rein in their spending.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Harmless-Retail-Therapy-or-Shopaholism

Just like any other addiction, people with a shopping addiction go to great lengths to hide their shopping activities and purchases. Many people often do not face their shopping problems until they run up a substantial credit card debt and reach a "dead end," finding themselves liable to serious financial consequences. This can lead to other damaging personal setbacks, such as losing the trust of loved ones when they find out or even losing a job or a home.

The first step to getting help is to acknowledge that you have a shopping problem. Once you've taken this giant step, you will have the motivation to look for help.

While there is no standardized method for treating shopping addiction, the two main forms of therapy are medication and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).

Various clinical studies have taken place to evaluate the effectiveness of medication therapy normally used to treat anxiety and depression. The results of medication as treatment for shopping addiction, however, are mixed.

A common method of treatment is cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).  CBT is a general term that describes the process of identifying and correcting problems associated with the way you think, behave, and feel, all of which may be contributing to your addictive or compulsive behaviours.

The focus of CBT is on issues that stem from within you rather than external influences. Taking quality time with professional help, self-help, loved ones, or those in similar situations to sort out your feelings, emotions, and history can get you started on the road to healing.

Therapy programs may be guided by an appropriate professional (such as a psychologist, therapist, or counsellor), self-help efforts (i.e., self-help books, keeping a shopping diary), or volunteer or charity programs that offer support and provide realistic steps on how to curb the compulsion to shop (i.e., Debtors Anonymous, Credit Canada).

Effective CBT would ideally include a tailored combination of all these programs that best fit your needs. It will also include addressing areas of your life that have been affected by a shopping addiction, such as considering marriage counselling and financial counselling.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Harmless-Retail-Therapy-or-Shopaholism

Admitting that you have a shopping addiction is the first step towards healing, which is why Confessions of a Shopaholic is such an apt title for the movie. And Rebecca, the central character in Sophie Kinsella's runaway bestseller, doesn't admit she has a shopping problem until everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.

But once she confesses her addiction, it is a freeing experience that allows her to be open and honest with herself and loved ones around her. Oftentimes, the secrets you have to carry are actually a heavier burden than the problem itself.

While there may be a lot of temptation around you that feeds your need to shop excessively, you ultimately have to take action and take control of your spending habits. Just like going to the gym, changing to a healthier diet, or anything that takes discipline or getting used to, the reward after the hard work will be worth it.

And shopping shouldn't have to be banned completely or forever! It is called "retail therapy" for a reason – a way to relax, to enjoy the fruits of your hard-earned dollar, to express your creative outlet, and all that shopping jazz.

The road to rediscovering the joy of healthy shopping requires that you have a plan in motion that can help you get back control, and it may require learning some new shopping habits to replace bad shopping habits of the past. Each time you replace an old habit with a new and healthier routine, it will only help you get stronger to face down the next shopping urge.

Here are some tips on how to curb a shopping temptation:  

• Window shop only after hours so that you are not tempted to walk into the store.
• Unsubscribe from marketing emails when possible. If you have any shopping-related apps installed, limit the number and types of notifications that you receive.
• Go shopping with a friend, who can help keep tabs on how much you are buying – avoid shopping alone.
• Get rid of your credit cards or leave them at home when you go shopping to avoid the temptation to spend.
• Find other routine activities to replace the times you used to spend shopping.
• Enlist a buddy or two who are willing to be on call whenever you feel the urge to shop.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Harmless-Retail-Therapy-or-Shopaholism