Signs that you are addicted to shopping
Yes, shopping can become a big problem. While we generally regard the act of making various purchases as a life-saving therapy that provides well-being, but also as a practical necessity, for others, shopping can be an addiction with devastating consequences. Can.
Leaving aside the cost of purchasing, we often talk about addiction to drugs, alcohol, tobacco or gambling. Furthermore, compulsive shopping is not recognized as a distinct disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Yet this form of addiction, which manifests as a constant need to buy things, can have devastating consequences in a person’s life.
Symptoms of Shopping Addiction
So, how do you recognize if you are suffering from shopping addiction? Among the notable signs, we find several factors, such as:
- The compulsive desire to buy something, even if it does not correspond to the need.
- Guilt after shopping, which manifests as stomach ache, tension after shopping. We regret this purchase.
- Negative impact on finances with financial problems, difficulty in managing money.
- Shopping in secret and/or hiding your purchases from loved ones, family or partner.
- Social isolation: Depriving yourself of certain activities to satisfy this compulsive desire to buy.
- Using shopping as a reward: As soon as we achieve something, we reward ourselves with gifts, shopping. A way to destigmatize shopping addiction.
How to fight shopping addiction?
If you recognize yourself in these examples, it is very likely that you are suffering from shopping addiction. The good news is that it is possible to fight this addiction. How ? according to psychology todayIt is especially advisable to keep a “journal of purchases, sales and donations”: ,The idea of this exercise is to write down every item you bought, sold, or donated, then report how you felt. This can help you not only declutter your wardrobe but also become aware of your addiction and manage it better. It’s a way of taking a step back from a situation and then moving forward.
Then it is advisable to practice “Shopping with full awareness”Because fighting this addiction does not mean that we no longer have to buy anything: “It’s more about buying fully consciousEvaluating whether items are truly necessary, wanted, or chosen impulsively. It is important to ask yourself these questions before making any purchase. Finally, following therapy with a professional, who will be able to support the addict in this phase, is ideal to fight this addiction.