Who is a compulsive shopper

Psychological — the addict seeks to purchase items to help them cope with life, and intense anxiety is felt in the absence of their addictive activity. Some of the psychological conditions associated with compulsive shopping are: Emotional deprivation in childhood Inability to tolerate negative feelings Need to fill an inner void — empty and longing inside Excitement seeking.

Approval seeking Perfectionism Genuinely impulsive and compulsive Need to gain control. Some suggestions for compulsive shopping treatment are: Reduce temptations Make lists before going to the store; buy what you need only Take a trusted friend Wait so many hours before purchase Do you need this or do you just want it? Develop other ways to handle emotions Develop fun things to do Learn to ride through urges and preoccupations Develop habits in stores. This may well be because at this age, excessive behaviour is often socially acceptable among peers so the condition may go unrecognised for longer.

And access to more credit facilities nowadays is likely to aggravate the situation. The consequences of compulsive buying behaviour can be just as severe as other types of addiction — such as alcoholism and problem gambling — with people falling into serious debt and their relationships falling apart.

But unlike these addictions, there is no national charity dedicated to compulsive buying. Because it is only through diagnosis and then treatment that the growing number of people who are afflicted with this condition can hope to restore balance to their lives. Company Reviews General Knowledge General Market News Hedge Fund News Internet Companies Making Money Online Real Estate News Stock Market Education Stock Market Scandals There are shoppers anonymous groups, and many treatment facilities that help people deal with any type of addictive behavior.

Seeking help is indeed important, because often compulsive shopping can lead people to rock bottom situations where they lose all of their possessions. As well, compulsive shopping can damage relationships with spouses or with children, beyond repair.

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel. Tricia Christensen.