What Is Spending Addiction and How Do I Know If I Have It?

An addiction is an obsession or habit that impairs our ability to function normally. It puts life out of balance or leads to irrational behavior. If you are addicted to shopping, the signs will be all around you: you go on never ending shopping sprees, you are preoccupied with malls and internet shopping sites, and… Continue reading What Is Spending Addiction and How Do I Know If I Have It?

Get to the Root of Compulsive Shopping

The growth and development of a serious shopping addiction is more than just reward-seeking. Making a purchase creates the immediate reward of receiving a new product, but in a serious addiction that reward is often adding to serious debt and an overall negative effect on one’s life. The immediate gratification of a purchase quickly wears… Continue reading Get to the Root of Compulsive Shopping

Breaking Your Shopping Addiction

If you find yourself using shopping and spending as a way to deal with deeper emotional issues while feeling like you are spiraling out of control, it is time to seek help. Shopping addiction is a very real disorder with a massive impact on more than just your wallet. Furthermore, dealing with those deep-seated issues… Continue reading Breaking Your Shopping Addiction

Shopping Addiction and Trains: Brakeman Choo-Chooses a New Route

    A few weeks ago, I was a guest on the Diane Rehm show about shopping addiction, along with a 25 year veteran of Debtors Anonymous and the President of the Financial Therapy Association. I figured we’d be reaching a typical audience of female compulsive buyers that were overspending on clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories, and personal services and… Continue reading Shopping Addiction and Trains: Brakeman Choo-Chooses a New Route

Compulsive Spending Blends in During Holiday Shopping

It’s no surprise that around the holidays, it is easy to overindulge. We make excuses for eating, drinking, and of course spending too much in the name of the holidays. But for compulsive spenders, this mindset can be incredibly damaging. When everyone is buying more than usual, compulsive shoppers blend in even more and hide… Continue reading Compulsive Spending Blends in During Holiday Shopping

The Devastating Effects of Shopoholism

Just like any addiction or disorder, Shopoholism can have devastating effects on the lives of those who suffer from it. While classified as an obsessive-compulsive disorder but not an addictive disorder, Shopoholism has a similar expression. Making a purchase creates a “high,” which is followed by negative feelings of guilt, remorse, and depression often resulting… Continue reading The Devastating Effects of Shopoholism