People buy things for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, a person has an event, such as a wedding, and they need to get a new dress or a wedding gift. Sometimes, people want a new wristwatch or pair of shoes.
Whatever the case, shopping is unavoidable. Most people can’t sew their clothes, kill their own food, or grow their own food, so they must go to stores and supermarkets. However, some people can lose control over their spending habits and need help with shopping addiction.
Sivana Rehab is a world-class treatment centre in Bali that can offer patients personalised treatment options to help them overcome their concerns and difficulties.
What is Shopping Addiction?
A shopping addiction, also known as Compulsive Buying Disorder (CBD), is a behavioural addiction that is characterised by a powerful urge to go shopping. People with CBD will want to go shopping regardless of their financial means. Like other behavioural addictions, affected individuals will continue to shop even if they suffer adverse effects as a result of their behaviour.
It’s not a simple desire to shop or the need to budget better. It’s an overwhelming and often undeniable temptation to shop. It’s not something that can be controlled by willpower, either. It’s a condition that requires professional help to address properly.
Shopping Addiction Treatment
A treatment plan for a shopping addiction will have to be multifaceted as it will have to address not just the behaviour itself but also its underlying causes. Some of the options to help compulsive shoppers include:
CBT is a form of therapy that identifies negative thought patterns (cognitive distortions) and addresses them. By changing these thought patterns, a person can change the behaviours associated with them, including compulsive shopping.
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of psychotherapy that uses bilateral stimulation to mimic the REM phase of sleep. During sessions, patients will experience bilateral stimulation while recalling a traumatic event. In doing so, the memory can be processed, and its emotional impact can be alleviated. This can help someone whose shopping habits are rooted in trauma, such as a childhood spent in poverty.
MI is a form of counselling that enhances a patient’s intrinsic motivation to make positive changes in their lives. Some patients may have ambivalence about recovery, and MI can empower patients to be active participants in their own recovery.
Medication may be prescribed to help curb some compulsive behaviours. This is especially helpful for people whose process addictions are driven by mood disorders. Antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds, and mood stabilisers can help keep a person emotionally stable, which can help prevent impulsive behaviour.
Signs and Symptoms of Shopping Addiction
One of the main symptoms of CBD is preoccupation. People with a shopping addiction will either shop or think about shopping during the majority of their waking hours. For them, the urge to shop will be overwhelming.
Many people will also be unable to control their spending when shopping and often go above their budgets. Many people neglect their responsibilities and instead turn their time and focus toward shopping.
Risk Factors for an Addiction to Shopping
Several factors can put a person at risk of a shopping problem. Some of the causes of shopping addiction may include:
Past Financial Difficulty
People who grew up with a low socioeconomic status can be at risk for compulsive buying, especially if they grew up around people who had greater financial means and got to see and be around things their families couldn’t afford.
Because they didn’t have certain things during their formative years, they may not want to deny themselves anything, no matter how expensive, when they grow up and begin to earn their own money.
Mental Health
Underlying mental health conditions can also be a factor in all forms of addiction and problematic shopping patterns. A person may shop excessively as a means of coping with the symptoms of mood disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Some people use shopping as a way to cope with stress or trauma. one major source of stress that can lead to excessive shopping is financial difficulty, as shopping can temporarily relieve worries.
Familial and Personal Histories
Genetics can also play a major role. A person who has a family history of addictive behaviours can be more vulnerable to oniomania than someone who doesn’t. Addiction can be passed down through family members but may manifest in different ways.
A personal history of other addictions, such as substance use disorders, can also put a person at risk for shopping addiction. This is because a person’s addictive tendencies can be redirected from drugs and alcohol to behaviours such as shopping.
Personality Traits
A person with poor impulse control may also be vulnerable to compulsive buying behaviour, as they may not be able to control the urge to buy something that catches their attention.
People with low self-esteem may buy things to boost their intrinsic value. To them, buying a new outfit or accessory will make them a better or more complete person. Similarly, personality factors such as materialism can also make a person more susceptible to compulsive shopping behaviours.
Social Factors
Advertising and availability can also help a person develop a compulsion to shop. People are constantly fed advertisements telling them about a new product, and there are numerous online shopping apps that offer discount codes, both of which entice people to shop and make it easier for them to do so.
Do I Need Help for Compulsive Shopping?
Some people may not realise that they have an addiction. Some signs can indicate that you may need help with a shopping habit. The chief indicator that your spending has gotten out of control is when you have mounting debts you can’t pay back.
These financial difficulties can also lead to secretive behaviour as some people may try to hide not just the addiction themselves but also the financial hardships. This can cause serious interpersonal conflicts, especially with a spouse or anyone with whom you may have combined finances.
Another sign that a shopping habit has gotten out of control is when you’ve purchased more things than you have the space for.
Buyer’s remorse is also a sign of a shopping addiction. Some individuals may go on shopping sprees and purchase things they may not need or want. Feelings of guilt and regret follow these sprees.
Related to the above, many people can spend inordinate amounts of time shopping, either online or in person.
Get Help for Shopping Addiction in Bali
People enjoy shopping. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, and the truth is that people need to shop. They need to buy things, and it’s perfectly fine to take pleasure in the act of shopping.
But some people end up in a position where shopping is their main or even only source of pleasure. While there’s nothing wrong with shopping or with enjoying it, a shopping addiction can be debilitating and have long-lasting consequences.
At Sivana Rehab, we offer personalised, cost-effective treatment to help people regain control over their behaviour and reclaim their finances and relationships. We’ll be with you through every step on the road to recovery.