Shopping Addiction

Shopping Addiction Treatment:
Know Your Options

Shopping addiction is a global issue that affects millions of people. Also referred to as compulsive buying disorder or compulsive shopping, it’s described as the uncontrollable urge to spend money, even if you can’t afford it. While some people view shopping as a treat or hobby, for others, it’s a real mental health problem with severe consequences.

People who suffer from this disorder might be addicted to buying one particular item, such as clothes or jewelry. Or, they may buy anything and everything regardless of what it is. A shopping addict gets the same rush of pleasure or high from making purchases as someone who misuses drugs gets from using them. Once the brain associates shopping with this pleasurable feeling, the person with a shopping addiction will try to recreate it again and again

Understanding
Shopping Addiction

Although it is not always considered an addiction, compulsive shopping, or oniomania, can have disastrous consequences on the individual as well as their families and society. People who compulsively shop every day may seem to have no problem, especially if they’re only buying household essentials like food or gas. However, 18 million adults in the United States suffer from compulsive buying disorder.

Shopping addiction usually follows the typical progression of addiction, where a person keeps doing unhealthy things despite bad consequences. It can include cravings and withdrawal like other addictions. People with this problem sometimes buy unnecessary things even though they know it’s wrong and hurts their finances.

Online Shopping Addiction

Although it may be argued that the internet has made shopping more convenient, evidence supports the claim that this convenience has led to an increase in problematic shoppers. The ability to purchase items with just a few clicks of a button is definitely exciting. It’s also simple and fast and eliminates the need to travel from store to store, which delays the shopping process. Some people enjoy spending hours online browsing through various stores until they find the perfect item. Others can make a purchase within seconds. It all comes down to your preference and how long you want to spend shopping around.

Here, the shopper receives two forms of gratification. One upon making the purchase and another upon receiving that item. However, for those addicted to shopping, the enjoyment from the purchase quickly dissipates. In fact, it may lead to feelings of shame and regret, emotions commonly experienced by addicts.

Types of
Shopping Addiction

People with a shopping addiction can often be categorized with one of these types:

• Compulsive shopaholics: People who shop to cope with their emotions
• Trophy shopaholics: People who are always looking for the best deal
• Material shopaholics: People who want to appear materially wealthy and love ostentatious items.
• Bargain seekers: People who purchase items solely because they are on sale, regardless of whether or not they need the item.
• Bulimic shoppers: People who get themselves into a position where they have to keep buying and returning items
• Collectors: People who feel the need to purchase every color or item in a set.

What Causes
Compulsive Buying Disorder?

People who are more prone to addiction might be more likely to develop a shopping addiction if they’re not careful. Although there are many different causes and triggers for addiction, research has identified some common factors.

Biological Factors

Let’s first think about predispositions. These may be connected to one or several concurrent disorders, as well as factors like childhood, materialism, relationships, and personality.

Other Mental Health Issues

People with diagnosable mental health or substance use disorders often also struggle with shopping addiction. The most common among these are mood, eating, and personality disorders.

Upbringing

People who suffer from shopping addiction normally come from homes where one or more family members are also addicted to shopping. This is further compounded when the parents have other mental health or substance disorders.

Materialism

When people value high-priced items and goals focused on wealth and social status, there is a greater chance of developing an addiction to shopping.

Relationship Difficulties

When people are unable to form or keep close, enjoyable relationships, they may try to satisfy their emotional needs with material possessions.

Personality Tendencies

Research suggests that people who have a shopping addiction are more neurotic and less agreeable, open, and disciplined than the average person.

Signs and symptoms of
shopping addiction

A person with a shopping addiction can be very good at hiding it. In fact, sometimes, the only people who know about the problem are those closest to the addict. People with compulsive buying disorders may try to hide their purchases or seem like they have loads of money to spend on unnecessary things.

Although they often display an appearance of affluence, many compulsive shoppers are burdened by debt. If they cannot control their spending or have difficulty paying off debts, they may be addicted to shopping.

Negative Emotions & Low Self-Esteem

Although it may feel good at the moment, shopaholics know that reality always sinks back in eventually. For many people, shopping becomes a go-to coping mechanism for life’s problems. In moderation, this can be perfectly fine, but when it gets out of hand, it is anything but enjoyable.

People who struggle with negative emotions or low self-confidence are more likely to turn to shopping as a coping mechanism. This avoidant strategy temporarily leads to pleasureful sensations but actually reinforces the problem and makes it harder to break the cycle.

Preoccupation With Shopping

Actively shopping isn’t the only symptom of a shopping addiction. Oftentimes, individuals struggling with this compulsion spend just as much time thinking about future purchases, fantasizing about desired items, researching them online, comparing prices, and reading reviews. Post-purchase actions might include further price comparisons or considering returns, exchanges, or reselling.

When the level of interest in shopping rises to an obsession, it can take over your thoughts and become all-consuming. You might find yourself thinking more about shopping than anything else in your life, including family clickbait obligations such as work or school.

Shopping in Secret

If you shop in secret and feel anxious about others finding out, it might be a sign of compulsive shopping. Many people try to keep their bad habits private, even if they are aware of the problem. It can be hard to admit or show your addiction to others. Compulsive shoppers often go to great lengths to hide their behavior. For example, if they shop at physical stores, they might lie and say they are doing something else. Or if they shop online, they might clear their browser history, so there is no record of it.

Being Unable to Stop Shopping

The addiction worsens as the person has less self-control. Similar to how cravings and withdrawals are experienced with substance use disorders, each purchase gives diminishing returns in terms of pleasure and satisfaction. Almost immediately after making a purchase, the individual is already thinking about or moving on to the next one.

We often tend to purchase things we don’t even need, and as a result, returns and exchanges become more common. However, this doesn’t stop the initial thrill that comes with making a new purchase. With the money or credit returned from our previous buys, we can go on another shopping spree right away.

Compromising Your Values or Well-Being to Shop

When you live your life with good values, you treat others how you want to be treated and lead a balanced lifestyle. However, compulsive buying can quickly ruin that. For example, if someone is shopping in secret and spending too much money on unnecessary things, it impacts not only the individual but also their relationships. This type of behavior can also have negative effects on one’s well-being along the mind-body-spirit pathway.

When someone becomes too obsessed with shopping, they may start developing bad habits like neglecting their health and fitness or avoiding social interaction. This can cause a spiral effect that gets worse over time, but it can be interrupted.

Feeling Guilty & Shameful About Purchases

Guilt is a common emotion concerning compulsive shopping. You may feel guilty, contemplate it for a while, work through the emotions, and then continue to your next purchase. This is typical during less intense stages of addiction, but as things spiral out of control, so does the guilt.

If guilt becomes too much to handle, it may lead to shame instead. Shame is when you take on the guilt internally and then believe negative things about yourself, like feeling worthless. This can become a belief that impacts how you see yourself as a whole.

Needing to Shop to Feel Normal

Shopping may bring enjoyment at first, but eventually, it just becomes a way to cope with negative feelings. At this point, you’re likely going through the motions without really getting anything out of it. Compulsive shopping can become a need as essential as food or water. If shopping is taken away, the effects can be drastic.

Shopping Addiction
Treatment Options

Family therapy: You’re not the only person affected by addiction. Shopping addiction affects friends and family, too. That’s why family therapy might be a good option to help you or someone you know overcome it. It makes people more accountable for their actions and provides support from loved ones.

Cognitive behavioral therapy: This type of therapy tackles any harmful or undesired behaviors that might play a role in compulsive buying disorder. By meeting with a mental health professional for regular sessions, you will not only learn how to manage these behaviors but also reframe your thinking surrounding them so you can have more constructive reactions overall.

Treatment of comorbidities: Oftentimes, individuals with addictions have comorbidities or two chronic diseases or conditions. For example, people who compulsively shop may also be struggling with depression and anxiety. By addressing the underlying issues, it can help alleviate compulsive buying habits.

Financial counseling: Shopping addiction can cause some people to spend money compulsively, regardless of the consequences — like debt, no finances, or even stealing. So financial counseling can help them see the results of their actions and make better choices in the future.

Co-Occurring Disorders &
Shopping Addiction Treatment

People who compulsively shop often have additional mental disorders, which research shows increases the likelihood of negative outcomes such as suicide or job loss. People with co-occurring disorders are also more likely to be hospitalized, get into legal trouble, and experience problems at home. Co-occurring disorders frequently lead people to develop multiple addictions as they attempt to cope with an underlying psychological disorder.

If you find that your shopping habits are resulting in negative consequences, professional help is available. Shopping addiction dual diagnosis treatments provided by an experienced and reputable institution such as Psyclarity Health can make all the difference.

The most effective rehabilitation for shopping addiction involves several interventions that address different disorders and aspects of each disorder. A typical program provides a suite of services, which usually includes group treatments, individual therapy, medication management, and support groups. This multi-tier approach is also referred to as integrated treatment.

Though not everyone with a mental health condition that responds to medication requires it, psychiatric medications can be key for treating anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. They may also lessen symptoms of shopping addiction. Antidepressant medications have proven to lower the compulsion to buy in people suffering from a shopping addiction. Especially those with comorbid mood or anxiety disorders.

Getting Help for a
Shopping Addiction

Admitting You Have a Problem

The first and hardest step is admitting that you have a problem. It’s hard to look at the ugly parts of ourselves, but it’s necessary in order to change. Remember, many people suffer from shopping addiction, and you are not alone. There is help available, but only if you’re willing to accept it. Once you’ve admitted that there’s a problem, you need to be fully committed to solving it.

Tell Someone You Trust

It can be beneficial to tell someone you trust when you’re battling shopping addiction. This way, you don’t have to feel alone. This person could help in different ways, such as regular check-ins, giving advice when needed, helping with any goals set, and holding accountability. There will definitely be challenging times while recovering but having social support lessens the chances of a lapse or relapse.

Getting Addiction Treatment for a Loved One

While recovering from a shopping addiction may seem daunting, it is possible with the help of professionals and loved ones. The first step is to educate yourself on what qualifies as a shopping addiction and recognize any red flags in your own behavior or that of your loved one. Next, find out what kind of treatment options are available near you.

With this new information, you can have a conversation with your loved one about the issue. However, keep in mind that they may resist discussions on the topic. Be supportive and try not to be defensive or put all of the blame on them. If you also have issues with spending money excessively or if your actions have negatively impacted your loved one’s well-being, then it is important for you to work towards change as well.

It is crucial to be as involved in the treatment process as your loved one wants you to be. If this includes attending treatment together, that can make a big difference. The more effectively you are able to work together, the greater chance there is of recovery.

Getting Shopping Addiction Treatment
with Psyclarity Health

Psyclarity Health is here to help you or your loved one through every step of the treatment process. Our team of mental health professionals will create a customized treatment plan that addresses all of the unique needs involved in overcoming a shopping addiction. We provide a safe and supportive environment where healing can take place. Contact us today for more information about our programs.