Shopping brings happiness to people, especially women, because it immediately makes them feel better. Experts call this process retail therapy. Some women go shopping purposefully: to buy new clothes or necessary things, while others consider it just a time killer. It becomes a habit that is soon out of control and can turn into a financial disaster.

Shopaholism is a disease that requires treatment

With the development of psychiatry, it became known that shopaholism is a disease. So, like any other, it requires treatment. Women should learn more about this disease before it is resolved. Let's find out what are the symptoms and causes of this disease. How to get rid of it.

Definition

There is a fine line between everyday shopping, casual shopping, and shopping addiction. Ordinary shopping - a trip to the store, a trip to the mall when needed. Random purchases usually occur at sales or holiday events. But sometimes shopping becomes the main way to relieve stress. This pathological dependence on shopping is called shopaholism.

Shopaholism is what psychology calls an uncontrollable desire to make purchases when there is no such need, and sometimes even an opportunity. Oniomania - technical term used to describe shopaholism. It is sometimes also referred to as compulsive shopping or addiction buying.

There is a fine line between shopping and shopaholism

Reasons for the appearance

Doctors identify several causes of this disease. But they are all related to psychological factors. Here are the most common ones.

1. Plastic and credit cards are one of the most significant factors that cause addiction. When a person does not know how much money he spends, he can make various purchases without controlling himself. And as a result, shopping becomes a habit.
2. Shopping for pleasure or to cheer up. Very often during shopping, people forget about a bad day, different problems and relax. They get the idea that this is a good way to escape from the turmoil of life, they begin to spend money on things more often and become shopaholics.
3. The need to be different and feel special. Some people feel inferior to those who have a lot of clothes, shoes, furniture, etc. This makes them spend more to feel better and richer.
4. Some shopaholics use shopping to fill a void in their lives. Active shopping gives the buyer the maximum experience due to the release of dopamine in the body.
5. The influence of advertising. Many people are very susceptible to the influence of advertising campaigns. TV commercials, bright banners and signs, inviting radio advertisements, etc. make a person make a lot of unnecessary purchases.
6. Some people just like to look good all the time.

In some cases, the causes of shopaholism are children's psychological trauma such as lack of parental attention, lack of care and love, feeling of loneliness. Sometimes the disease is caused by depression after a divorce, moving to new town, of death loved one etc.

For some people, shopping causes the illusion of power and freedom, i.e. when sellers try their best to please them, constantly flatter and praise, and people can make any decision when choosing things and carry large shopping bags, they get the feeling that they control their lives and everything around them.

Symptoms

The fact that shopaholism is a disease experts cannot deny. Sometimes it can be very difficult to determine if you or your loved one is a shopaholic. Many people love to buy different things and also spend too much money doing this type of activity. It's important to note that just because you shop occasionally doesn't mean you're a shopping addict. There are several signs and symptoms that signal the presence of the disease.

emotional symptoms

Like all sick people, shopaholics may try to hide their addiction, even if it is your relative or loved one, he will still try to hide it from you. If a person hides credit card bills, checks, or receipts, they may be a shopaholic. Sometimes patients may try to hide their addiction by constantly claiming that they go shopping purposefully to buy only the things they need. They may admit they went shopping but lie about how much they spent.

Shopaholics may justify shopping as a necessity

You may also notice the following emotional symptoms in a shopaholic:

• they spend more than they can afford;
• purchases become a reaction to anger or depression;
• for them, the next shopping is a way to feel less guilty about the previous shopping;
• with the acquisition of new goods, they have a feeling of self-consolation due to high costs;
• they lose control of their shopping behavior.

When a person cannot resist seeing a sale, and every time he buys more than he planned; if his mood deteriorates when he has not bought anything, it is no longer easy bad habit, a real illness that needs to be treated.

physical symptoms

While most addictions have physical symptoms, shopaholism does not. In most cases, the symptoms you experience due to your shopping habit will be emotional in nature. There is only one physical proof of trade dependence - the deterioration of the financial situation.

How to get rid

Friends, family members should intervene when they notice certain signs of a shopaholic. Compulsive shopping is addictive. If you go out to buy a pair of jeans and come back with two shirts, three pairs of shoes, scarves, and other unplanned purchases, you must recognize the problem and try to fix it.

Think carefully before you buy anything: you don't want to go into debt and own things you don't even need.

Shopaholics usually don't control spending, relying primarily on credit cards resulting in debt. Always remember that you are stronger than the piece of plastic that controls your life. Stick to simple rules.

1. Limit your purchases to once or twice every three months, unless it's very urgent.
2. Pay cash so you know how much you paid by counting the money you have.
3. When you go to an ATM, withdraw only the amount you need. It will be the only money you will spend and not a penny more.
4. It's best to leave your cards at home so you won't be tempted to withdraw more money.
5. Avoid discounts or sales.
6. Avoid calling catalog orders and do not go to online stores.
7. Go for a walk or jog when you feel like shopping.
8. Write a list of things you really need. Jeans and blouse? Write them down and don't buy anything other than this. On your next trip to the store, create the list again, even if it only consists of one item. Make it a habit and help you control yourself.

If you find yourself out of control, then seek professional help. You will need a specialist diagnosis and psychological treatment shopaholism. Studies of this addiction have not identified any drugs that may be most helpful in treating this problem. However, many shopaholics have been able to successfully recover from their addictions by taking anti-anxiety medication and antidepressants.

Nowadays, a group of people is rapidly increasing for whom shopping is no longer a way to satisfy their natural needs for food, household items and wardrobe. Today, for many contemporaries, shopping is a pleasant entertainment event that allows you to brighten up the dullness of everyday life, get rid of the accumulated tension and melancholy. Walking through shopping centers is an affordable relaxant and an effective stimulant that gives you a great mood, a rise in self-esteem and self-confidence. However, at first glance, harmless pastime in some subjects reaches the proportions of pathology - an obsessive and uncontrollable passion for acquisitions. This type mental addiction described in psychiatry under the term "oniomania". In the common people, an irresistible craving for shopping is called "shopaholism" (other options: "shoppingolism", "shoppingomania")

Description

Shopaholism is a person's uncontrollable dependence on making purchases. This type manifests itself as an irrational, obsessive, uncontrollable need to systematically visit stores and make constant purchases.

With shopaholism, the subject lacks logical criteria for choosing a product: he often acquires completely unnecessary things, without comparing their price with his own material capabilities. A person goes to supermarkets not because he needs to restock food or buy the necessary clothes. He goes to the store to find himself in the only comfortable atmosphere for him on the trading floor and makes a purchase due to the fact that he is being pursued. obsession- become the owner of a new product.

The need to find oneself again among the abundance of supermarkets completely absorbs the thinking of the individual, destroying the possibility of feeling comfortable in another environment. Shopaholism deprives a person of past hobbies, hobbies, and does not allow him to enjoy other pleasant activities. Only in the atmosphere of buying and selling does a person feel peaceful, relaxed, happy. When choosing a product, a person feels a rush vitality, vitality and vigor.

Like other types of addictions, shopaholism leads to a change in the thinking and behavior of a person, eventually leading to the degradation of the individual. Shopping for a shopaholic is a kind of drug. The impossibility or prohibition to fulfill an obsessive need unsettles the person, rewarding them with extremely unpleasant symptoms of “withdrawal”.

According to the latest statistics, the number of officially registered persons with clinical signs of shopaholism has exceeded 5% of all inhabitants of the planet. However, this indicator is clearly underestimated and does not reflect the true extent of this type of addiction, since many people skillfully disguise their obsessive passion under plausible goals. Frequent excuses of addicts: “I go to the store to take my mind off work and household chores”, “I communicate with friends in supermarkets”, “I try to find the cheapest goods to save the family budget”.

Most of the people who are addicted to shopaholism are women of mature age, who objectively have unresolved psychological problems. However, the manic desire to make purchases has not bypassed men either, but their number is much smaller, because among the strong half of humanity it is customary to solve problems differently, for example: with a glass of vodka.

Oniomania is manifested as a global craving for acquisition, and can be expressed in more "narrow" areas. On the post-Soviet space the most common subspecies of shopaholism is an indomitable desire to shop on the days of promotions, sales, fairs, discounts. Some women, without pursuing a commercial interest, are subject to a mania - to buy indiscriminately any goods "at favorable price» in second-hand shops. Among teenagers and young men, the uncontrollable craving to become the owner of all the super-novelties on the market of smartphones, tablets, and laptops is more common. Another form of shopaholism is an indomitable addiction to the products of specific brands.

Consequences of shoppingism - not only worsening financial situation and family problems. A frequent ally of oniomania is asocial and illegal violations, when, if necessary, to get funds for purchases, a person begins to invent scams or steal. Shopaholism takes over the entire consciousness of the patient, changing his character and destroying his personality. As a result, the dependent person loses the ability to interact normally with members of society. It is worth noting that depression and phobias can be companions of the disorder, or develop as a result of abnormal dependence.

The reasons

On the this moment the only "culprit" of the development of addictions has not been identified. The basis for the emergence of pathological addictions is a genetic predisposition to addictive behavior. However, the development of manic shopping cravings occurs gradually with prolonged exposure. negative factors. The main reason for shopaholism is a combination of defects in the constitution of the individual and the dissatisfaction of any needs of the individual.

Often a shopaholic is a person with low self-esteem who denies their individuality. He experiences a clear attention deficit, suffers from a lack of love, is obsessed with the fear of loneliness. He does not develop friendly and personal relationships. Often in his family - a difficult psychological climate, he plays the role of "victim" in marital relations. Perhaps his marriage partner is an alcoholic, a drug addict, or a seriously ill person who requires constant care.

His nature requires signs of recognition from those around him. The individual has not been successful in professional activity or even works in an area that is not interesting to him. He could not realize his creative potential in life.

Often a person suffering from shopaholism is an egocentric, domineering nature with gigantic selfishness. It cannot match its global queries with its own capabilities. Quite often, such a subject suffered from parental overprotection, did not know prohibitions or refusals.

A completely opposite picture can also take place, when the current shopaholic in childhood was in an asocial environment or grew up in a family with low level prosperity. A child who did not receive the required parental attention, lived in need and did not have the necessities of life, in adulthood compensates for this lack of pointless purchases.

Shopaholism also leads to unresolved psychological problems that a person conscious level denies or does not have sufficient skills to overcome difficulties. The way of repressing one's experiences is precisely the flight from reality manifested in oniomania - immersion in the illusory world of "comfort, abundance, liveliness."

signs

To understand that the desire to make purchases has crossed the line of the norm and has become mental disorder, on its own is quite difficult, since a patient with oniomania often denies that he has problems. However, any form of addiction is manifested by specific symptoms, the presence of which suggests the development of shopaholism.

The main sign of pathological addiction is the presence in the individual of an obsessive and persistent need to visit the store and make a purchase. External manifestations such a passion

• liveliness, fussiness in anticipation of the upcoming trip to the trading floor;
• nervousness, irritability, outbursts of aggression at those moments when close people make comments about his abnormal and reckless attraction;
• apathy, a dreary mood when the opportunity to shop disappears;
• inclination to solitude, unwillingness to contact people when financial position worsens, and the person cannot get money for purchases;
• hypocrisy, deceit, attempts to manipulate loved ones, fraudulent actions, if necessary, to improve their material status;
• transformation of a person when entering the atmosphere of the store: his mood improves, he becomes friendly and active, tries to make contacts with sellers and buyers;
• close study of the assortment of the shopping center, the desire to touch products, the tendency to try on different models clothes and shoes and admire your reflection;
• the acquisition of huge volumes of goods, when all products are added to the basket in a row and their cost is not calculated;
• ignoring the remarks of relatives about the recklessness of his acquisitions, the desire to prove that he bought only useful and necessary things;
• lack of motivation for personal growth and development: a person does not make any efforts to improve his existence;
• rejection of friendship family vacation if the leisure program does not include a visit to the store;
• deterioration in the quality of professional duties performed: an individual does a job in order to complete it and receive material reward for this;
• decrease in social circle due to unwillingness to talk on topics other than shopping;
• loss of interest in previously favorite activities;
• deterioration in concentration, inability to concentrate on the work being done, because there is one thought in the head - to do shopping.

Coping Methods

How to get rid of shopaholism? As clinical practice shows, most people who are obsessed with a passion for shopping require a course of psychotherapeutic treatment. Unfortunately, anonymous communities of shopaholics have not become widespread in Russia, therefore, in the treatment of this addiction, individual psychotherapy techniques are most often used.

A good therapeutic effect is shown by the course of hypnosis sessions, which is recognized as the safest, painless and effective manipulation. Altered state of consciousness during hypnosis necessary condition, without which it is impossible to eradicate the irrational components of mania. In trance, access to the subconscious mechanisms of the individual's behavior opens up, which allows eliminating destructive components. life scenario” and guide the patient towards meeting needs in healthy and appropriate ways. Work with the subconscious ensures the formation of a correct self-esteem in the patient, getting rid of obsessive fears, motivation to transform your personality.

If the obsessive mania is on initial stage You can get rid of shopaholism by purposefully working on your personality and changing your lifestyle.

To overcome addiction to shopping, psychologists advise:

• Eliminate or reduce to a minimum the impact of negative factors, for example: divorcing an alcoholic husband or changing jobs.
• In addition to labor and learning activities compose your regime in such a way that it contains a variety of intellectual and sports activities. The rule for shopaholics is to leave no room in your life for boredom and introspection. Live rich life: attend exhibitions and performances, play sports or dance, walk in the fresh air, go on sightseeing tours.
• You need to find other ways to reveal your talents. To do this, you should try your hand at various fields, even if at first glance such innovation is difficult and unpromising. Study foreign languages, become an archaeologist, explore the life of microorganisms - any new attempts will open up previously unknown areas of personality.
• The law for a passionate lover of shopping: plan and calculate income and expenses. Draw up a family budget, clearly fix necessary acquisitions, set a cash limit, refuse tempting loans. Determine the days of visiting the supermarket and choose goods only from a pre-compiled list.
• Avoid mental and physical overload, when the body insistently requires rest and pamper yourself with pleasant shopping.

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good time dear readers. Today we will talk about how to get rid of shopaholism. You will become aware of the characteristic symptoms of this condition. Find out why it can develop in people, in particular women. You will become aware of the methods of struggle and valuable advice about getting rid of this addiction.

What causes

What are the reasons for the development of shopaholism?

1. The desire to always remain in the spotlight, keep up with fashion trends. This can push a woman to go to expensive boutiques and make expensive purchases that do not match financial capabilities.
2. A man who had serious financial problems in his family as a child, he was deprived of a lot. When he grows up, he begins to compensate for this by making necessary and unnecessary purchases, because now he has such an opportunity.
3. Growing up in a wealthy family, when everything was bought for the baby at the first whim. When a person has matured, he has not learned to appreciate money, he continues to spend it thoughtlessly and constantly experiences financial problems.
4. It develops in adult women who are wives of wealthy and business people. All due to the fact that husbands do not devote enough time to their spouses, sponsor them with money, and women make purchases, trying to compensate for the lack of attention from their beloved men.
5. Depression favorably affects the formation of shopaholism. A person, making purchases, gets at least some joy in life, he actually exists under the influence of a “drug”, dependent on the dose of serotonin. Thus, shopping is a kind of antidepressant that improves well-being.
6. Low self-esteem. A person cannot pass by a single promotion, discount, bonus system. If sellers begin to invite a person with low self-esteem, saying pleasant and flattering words, creating the illusion that they want to take care of her, then she will not be able to pass by without making a single purchase. That is, a person receives temporary power, respect, they pay attention to him. Not surprisingly, shopaholism develops at the same time.
7. Constant stress in the family, at work provoke the development of this addiction. A person is distracted from everyday problems by shopping. After all, only in the store there is an opportunity to feel your freedom and importance, you can choose what the person himself likes, and not someone else.

Characteristic manifestations

Some people are not even aware that they have shopaholism. The following manifestations will indicate this:

• often comes the realization that meaningless purchases have been made;
• the desire to go to the store arises at the moment severe stress or because of loneliness, boredom;
• often there is no money for the necessary things, the budget is wasted;
• purchases are the only way allowing you to relax and unwind;
• being in the store, an insane desire to buy something wakes up, there is a loss of control over oneself;
• being in the store as long as there is money;
• there is a desire to acquire things that a person does not even know about the possibility of using;
• lengthy discussion of purchases made;
• going to the store just to spend time there;
• a feeling of anger, disappointment after a perfect purchase, which turned out to be unnecessary or too expensive;
• Feeling overwhelmed when not able to visit the store and feeling uplifted when the opportunity arises.

A shopaholic, making another purchase, feels a strong surge of energy, while the hormone of happiness - serotonin - is released. All problems and worries immediately fade into the background.

Ways to fight

A person should come to understand that shopaholism is a disease, which means that it needs to be fought. Otherwise, do not get rid of the addiction.

1. Autotraining. This method of psychotherapy helps people who have realized their problem and are ready to fight it with all their might. The person is given a list special instructions which must be strictly followed and strictly followed.
2. Group lessons. To date, all more people subject to this dependence, so it is not difficult to arrange sessions with the presence of not one, but several people at once. This method allows you to see yourself from the outside, to realize the problem of another person and your own. In addition, being in a group of like-minded people, the healing process is much faster.
3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:

• a specialist teaches how to behave in times of crisis;
• establishes a model of correct behavior;
• explains that all actions must be rational;
• teaches how to react in a given situation;
• discusses possible options getting rid of addiction.

If shopaholism is not treated, it can lead to serious consequences, problems material nature, persistent depression, the destruction of the family, numerous debts, loneliness, loss of friends.

1. It is necessary to determine what exactly provokes you to make purchases. To do this, you can have a special notebook in which you will need to record after what events you go to the store.
2. It will be very difficult to cope on your own. You need to enlist the support of friends and relatives. Let them control your purchases.
3. Find a real alternative to shopping. If shopping helps you get rid of boredom, then introduce new entertainment into your life, for example, sign up for sports section or get busy extreme view sports. It is important that every day is busy, the pastime is active. So there will be no time and energy left to make purchases.
4. Has a great influence on the shopaholic information environment. You need to limit yourself from exposure to advertising.
5. Try to evaluate your actions from the outside, realize that you could do without many purchases. If there is a desire to buy something, analyze what exactly you will do with this item, whether it is possible to replace it with something less expensive.
6. If you decide to go to the store, then take very little money with you. This will allow you to protect yourself from unnecessary waste, to think carefully about what to buy. For example, going to the grocery store, you need to write a shopping list and roughly calculate how much money it will take, take that amount. Then you will be forced to buy up exclusively in accordance with the list, without the opportunity to buy something unnecessary.
7. Try to devote your free time to communicating with friends and loved ones. It is important that all thoughts are occupied with something positive, so that there is no time left for shopping.
8. If you go to the store and try to transform yourself with new purchases, for example, you buy every two days new clothes with the hope that self-esteem will be increased in this way, then it's time to understand that in this way you will not succeed. It is better to take care of your skin, body, go to a hairdresser, sign up for a gym. All this will allow you to transform, become better externally, physically, and improve your health. This way you can avoid spending too much money on things you don't need.
9. Credit cards cannot be used. The shopaholic sees such a card as an opportunity to spend all the money that is stored on it. At this moment, a person does not even think about the fact that later he will have to repay the debt to the bank. Therefore, when going shopping, you need to take only cash, according to at least until you learn to control yourself.

Now you know what the psychology of a shopaholic is. Many people do not pay attention to such dependence, they do not see it as a particular problem. It’s also good if the financial means allow you to make crazy purchases. But you also need to remember possible consequences shopaholism, because in this way you can be left without a family, without friends, and even get serious financial problems. If you notice signs of this addiction behind you, do not put off solving the problem for later, if necessary, visit the office of a psychologist or psychotherapist.

“Here it is, a moment of happiness - when the fingers wrap around the handle of a shiny, crisp bag and the entire contents of this branded packaging becomes my full possession. What is the feeling that arises at such a moment? It's like fasting for a few days and then taking a huge bite of hot buttered toast. Or wake up in the morning and realize that today is Saturday. Why, such moments are comparable to best moments sex. Nothing exists anymore - all thoughts and feelings are concentrated on this wonderful sensation. On one pure, selfish pleasure."

Shopagoism - addiction to shopping

Do you know the feelings experienced by the heroine of Sophia Kinsella? Congratulations, it looks like you have oniomania... No, no, don't be afraid of it scientific term: it only means that you are most likely a shopaholic - you enjoy the very process of buying, it cheers you up, serves the best medicine from all troubles.

Signs of shopaholism

To be sure, we suggest you take a test. Most likely, you can be classified as a shopaholic if you ...

• go shopping often clear desire find something specific
• too fond of fashion magazines, blogs, online and insta stores
• have a strong desire to buy this or that thing, without good reason
• speak long and enthusiastically about what you have acquired
• considering most item for sale, whether you need it or not
• fall into a state of apathy without regular visits shopping centers

We hasten to console: there are many like you. In fact, this phenomenon was first noticed in Europe back in late XIX century, and in early XXI he was even called the "plague of the century."

The reason, it would seem, is on the surface: representatives of the era of consumption, we are simply forced to buy more and more - in order to be even more successful, more beautiful, more desirable ...

Psychologists, on the other hand, believe that the roots of the problem are deeper: by buying things, we thus fill inner emptiness, we compensate for the lack of attention and love, we run away from loneliness and depression, we feel free and omnipotent. Often, with unlimited purchases in adulthood, we compensate for what we did not receive in childhood (there is also an opposite “pole”: those who in childhood did not know anything about refusal and were simply used to buying a lot of unnecessary things).

Why is shopaholism a problem?

It would seem, if opportunities allow, then what is wrong here? It's all about the negative consequences of shopaholism.

1

A wardrobe (even if in your case it is not just a closet, but an entire room) is not rubber: sooner or later it will fill up unnecessary things, and the need to buy them will remain.

2

Like it or not, shopaholism is an addiction: you just can’t stop… And now try to imagine your state, if for one reason or another objective reasons you can no longer satisfy your need.

In addition, the time and money spent on shopping could be put to better use: for example, to spend it on self-development or travel.

3

Shopaholism of one of the family members often becomes a reason for conflicts and strife, and financial opportunities, as a rule, are not unlimited.

Shopaholic shopaholic strife

Perhaps you have a friend or acquaintance who seems to you a “real” shopaholic: she sweeps everything off the shelves indiscriminately and cannot stop. You, in turn, know your craving for shopping, but “not to such an extent”; often you go shopping just to de-stress and relax.

Types of shopaholics

Chances are you're just referring to different types shopaholics. There are three in total:

• spontaneous: does not consider himself a shopaholic, but hardly passes by the “sale” icon and often buys things “just because”;
• conscious or reasonable: buys the necessary things, but in larger quantities than planned (not one shampoo or cream, but 3-4, with different smells, textures, effects - everything needs to be discovered and tried as soon as possible!), cannot resist promotions and bonuses;
• true: spends all the money on purchases.

How to deal with shopaholism?

As with any addiction, shopaholism must be dealt with in stages, in small steps. Here are some tips that can help you with this - of course, provided that you have already admitted to yourself in your "diagnosis".

1

Conduct a wardrobe audit

From now on, any shopping must be preceded by a list of necessary things, and for this you need to audit your wardrobe. We bet: the amount of things you have accumulated will simply amaze you. All unnecessary things must be immediately disposed of: give, donate or sell them.

Perhaps, when sorting out your wardrobe, you will be surprised by the fact that with all the abundance of things you do not have the most necessary base. To make a basic wardrobe in which all things are consistent in color and cut, I teach in an online school.

2

Say no to shops

Not “maybe”, not “one more time - and that's it”, but a firm “no”. Keep your visits to stores to an absolute minimum: if they "just come across on the way" - build a route differently!

3

Online instead of offline

If you objectively need this or that thing, do not rush to the shopping center: first, study the assortment online - fortunately, almost all stores today have websites. Compare prices, design, texture, color. Make a choice - and only then go to the store (or rather, think ahead for a day or two).

4

Cancel credit card

When going to the store, take with you exactly the amount that you can spend without compromising your budget. It is known that it is more difficult for us to part with cash, so no more bank cards and credits! For fidelity, invite a loved one with you who is aware of your problem and can stop you.

5

Keep records

Start excel file, buy a special notebook or install an application on your phone that will allow you to record all expenses and indicate the amounts that you can afford to spend next week.

6

Stop hunting for discounts

How many times have you come back from sales rejoicing that you managed to buy a lot of things at a good discount ... This triumph is false: if you don’t really need the thing, then the seller ultimately won.

To get rid of the temptation, unsubscribe from the mailing lists of online stores: you definitely don’t need extra temptations.

7

Ahead of the whole planet?

buy things from new collection on the day they appear in the store - not best idea: after a while the seller will lower the price, and you may change your mind.

8

Drink coffee, take a deep breath, anything that doesn't make a purchase immediately, succumbing to a spontaneous impulse. It is better to return to the topic of buying the next day: perhaps tomorrow the thing will no longer be so desirable.

9

Ask for help

If attempts to follow our advice fail one after another, do not hesitate to seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist. Communication with a specialist will help you understand what really lies behind your craving to buy more and more new things.

10

Learn to consciously buy things that fit and fit together. I will be happy to help you with this in an online school around the world :)

The well-known joke about the two main problems of some women - "no place in the closet" and "nothing to wear" - has a good reason. This mutually reinforcing point of view of some people - shopaholics - can be explained by the internal imbalance of their experiences. It is important to determine what emotions a person experiences (irritation, depression, anger, joy) at the time of the “attack” of the desire to buy almost everything that catches his eye.

A couple of decades ago, in our once great country, there was no such thing as “shopaholism” at all, and it couldn’t be because of empty shelves in stores. The abundance of goods in the modern trading network around the world contributed to the emergence of such a fashionable habit today. This habit is not considered harmful, but, you see, it causes a lot of trouble and serious everyday problems. The result of such a hobby is a tangible blow both to the wallet (on the family budget) and to the morale of family members, including the shopaholic himself, because sooner or later the results of his actions begin to disrupt a normal lifestyle. And then you need to urgently decide how to get rid of shopaholism.

The essence of the problem

You can get rid of the problem by studying its causes. Shopaholism can be caused by both internal and external factors.

According to psychologists, the causes of shopomania or, on medical language oniomania may lie in deep childhood, which took place in a poor family in the absence of attention and love from parents. Growing up former child all his life to strive to catch up, to fill the gap in the lack of pleasant sensations through endlessly repeating purchases. Such dubious pleasure does not last very long, therefore it requires new and new sensations, which means it pushes for new purchases.

If childhood was colored by the fulfillment of all your whims, then at a conscious age the habit of pampering yourself will grow with you and will not leave you until you drive it away yourself.

An adult who is faced with failures in his personal life (quarrels in the family, with the dislike of his spouse) or in the profession (slow career, inability to defend one's position, low wage), is looking for a substitute for “happiness” in spacious retail premises. And not finding it, in moments of rare enlightenment, he feels remorse because of his inappropriate behavior and bitterness from the fact of financial waste. Therefore, at the end of the day, once and for all, he gives himself a word - no shopping ... And in the morning everything repeats.

Internal factors of shopaholism

As we have already mentioned, much is due psychological characteristics personality. Most often, the emotions a person experiences in Everyday life due to emotional stress, stress, overstrain, moral fatigue, loneliness, the routine of everyday life require a splash. Otherwise, they lead to the emergence of self-doubt, to an underestimation of self-esteem.

Shopping Tours - great opportunity switch your attention to what gives pleasure and even joy. As a result, the body releases the hormone of joy - serotonin and the hormone of emotions - adrenaline. To intensify and prolong our joy, we open our wallet ready to pay for these sensations. In response, we get enthusiastic looks, replicas of store employees about our purchase, which significantly increases our self-esteem. The power over the situation impresses us, therefore it is remembered. From time to time we strive to feel it again. Such short-term feelings at the time of purchase create the illusion of control over your life, the illusion of inner freedom.

External factors of shopaholism

The impulse to reckless shopping is formed due to the variety of marketing techniques used by store owners. If beautifully designed shop windows have already become more or less familiar surroundings for us, then seasonal and not only seasonal periods of various discounts and promotions successfully stimulate our desire to make meaningless purchases. Well, how can you get past an institution where you “only today” will be allowed to keep 70% of the cost for yourself or they will give you three items for the price of one? An impulsive desire to immediately make another purchase arises at the thought that tomorrow this thing will return to its original value.

It must be admitted that such promotions do not always save customers' money, because most often the store will do a lot in order not only to return the money spent, but also to make a profit. Nearby on the shelf will be an item of more vital necessity, which you will be forced to buy even at an inflated price. But these are the subtleties of pricing policy. trade enterprises and their habits of misleading customers, and we would like to figure out how to get rid of shopaholism.

Symptoms

The following signs suggest a commitment to shopaholism:

• decreased tone, apathy without the opportunity to visit stores, irritability from the irregularity of purchases;
• visiting shopping centers for no reason;
• regular many hours and aimless wandering around the trading floors, even if there is no need for purchases;
• senseless examination of all kinds of goods;
• a hard-to-control desire to buy a lot of what you see in the absence of a good reason;
• visiting stores or their departments that have nothing to do with your needs and your lifestyle;
• constant discussions of their purchases with friends and acquaintances, lack of interest in other topics;
• an abundance of acquired things that remain unused;
• full satisfaction and elation during the shopping period;
• persistent disapproval by your inner circle of your purchases;
• when you are convicted of excessive unjustified spending, you begin to hide the fact of purchases and underestimate their true value.

Shopaholic fanatical- the person who experiences an irresistible passion not only for purchasing goods in stores, but also an irresistible desire to discuss new items and fashion trends.

If at the same time it is important to buy more and cheaper, and also if quality is of interest in lesser degree than quantity, then in front of you business shopaholic.

Shopaholic indifferent it is not this or that purchase and possession that is occupied, but rather the process of shopping itself: the anticipation of shopping, walking through the halls with goods, choosing new purchases, acquiring them, then enjoying the purchased, but, unfortunately, for a short time.

Shopaholic emotional, going to the store for one dress, returns with a lot of bags in his hands, in which there are shoes, a skirt, a scarf, a bracelet, earrings, a hairpin ... And something from underwear. Such an abundance of purchases litter living space, loads it with unnecessary things and, most surprisingly, does not bring long-term satisfaction, for which so much effort has been applied.

Note! It is the illusion of freedom to do as one wants, spoiledness with roots from childhood, dissatisfaction with a lack of attention, adrenaline as a pleasant stress - all this "hooks" on shopping.

cure

For those who understand that “the salvation of a drowning person is the work of the drowning person himself,” our advice will be useful. From obsessive state you can get rid of yourself only honestly admitting the fact of dependence on your dubious desires.

Step-by-step measures to combat shopaholism may approximately look like this:

1. Make a shopping plan for the month, taking into account your financial capabilities.
2. Before you go to the store, make a list of essential purchases.
3. Going to the store, take with you only the necessary amount in accordance with the shopping list.
4. When keen desire buy something, move this item to the next month's list.
5. Regularly analyze the shopping list, noting those made spontaneously.
6. Do not arrange excursions to retail chains, especially to elite stores with expensive goods, where the price is most often determined not only by the quality of things, but also by more their brand.
7. Arrange life priorities, engage in self-esteem, draw a conclusion for yourself - what will elevate you in your own eyes.

It is difficult to dispute the fact that shopping is hard labour, and not only because you have to walk a lot. As it turns out, this occupation ultimately takes away not only physical, but also moral strength. A devastating disease - shopaholism - is able to irrevocably take away:

• money,
• strength - physical and moral,
• precious time.

As a result, there is a threat of material and spiritual ruin, accompanied by deep depression and loss of life values.

Note! Shopaholism has long been recognized as dangerous. it psychological illness more often observed abroad. The United States is recognized as the birthplace of shopaholism. In the post-Soviet space, only 3% of buyers were suspected of it. Today, shopping addiction is compared to addiction to alcohol, to the strong drug heroin, to addiction to slot machines.

The mass of purchases, unsupported by the need for them, with the subsequent search for an excuse for yourself and your behavior - clear signs shopaholism. As with any disease, shopomania can and should be eliminated if both the disease itself and the importance of getting rid of it are recognized in time. And then new colors will play in your life. She will acquire new meaning- positive and healthy.

Video

More information about the psychology of shopaholism is described in the following video clip: