Easter’s almost here. For those who celebrate it, how good have you been about Lent? Did you try to give up shopping? If you have omniomania – yes, that’s the scientific term for a shopping addiction- it has probably been a rough time. Omniomania is the “most socially reinforced of the behavioral addictions,” and was… Continue reading Battling Shopping Addiction
Category: Compulsive Buying
A Day in the Life of a Shopaholic
If just reading Elizabeth Hartney’s fictional account of “the day to day experience of shopping addiction” on about.com leaves you feeling exhausted, try to imagine what it’s like to really have a shopping problem. Here’s a sample of what Hartney describes: Wake up and make yourself two cups of coffee in your expensive new coffee… Continue reading A Day in the Life of a Shopaholic
Eat, Shop and Be Merry? (Part II)
My first conscious awareness of the relationship between eating disorders and compulsive shopping came in the early 90’s at a national conference on eating disorders. Catherine Steiner-Adair, in her keynote address, asked the audience what we thought were the two major ways women had for dealing with the ups and downs of life. The silence… Continue reading Eat, Shop and Be Merry? (Part II)
You’ve Stopped Overshopping…Now What?
Today I’d like to focus on a topic that can cause real anxiety in people who are addicted to shopping: what to do when you stop. If you shop to ease anxiety or soothe grief, what will you do when you feel down if that outlet is no longer available to you? If you shop… Continue reading You’ve Stopped Overshopping…Now What?
Understanding a Shopping Addiction
A shopping addiction can provide entertainment for television and movies as in the show “My Shopping Addiction” and the popular movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic.” Far from being glamorous, this disorder can cause serious trouble in real life. It can be hard to spot this addictive behavior, but it is more common than you may think. Behind… Continue reading Understanding a Shopping Addiction
Recognizing Spending Addiction
Do you find yourself trying to buy happiness, admiration, acceptance, or empowerment? Does spending money help you chase away your troubles, even though you know that your overspending habits will catch up with you one day? These are all symptoms of a spending addiction. Just like with any other behavioral addiction, the performance of a… Continue reading Recognizing Spending Addiction
Signs You Could Be Addicted
There are clear signs that you might be addicted, which apply to anything from shopping to alcohol, according to Dr Ronald McCoy, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners spokesman. Dr. McCoy states the main thing to watch out for is organizing your life around your addiction. You also find that the more you have, the more you… Continue reading Signs You Could Be Addicted
Compulsive Hoarding and Shopping
It seems like hoarding is getting a lot of media attention recently, with shows like TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive and the Hoarders shows on A&E. While popular television tends to sensationalize, the amount of air-time dedicated to this serious problem has the potential for positive outcomes. As blogger Kristin Bell suggests, these shows might alert… Continue reading Compulsive Hoarding and Shopping
Parkinson’s Disease Itself Does Not Increase Risk of Gambling, Shopping Addiction
In a recent issue of Neurology, published by the American Academy of Neurology, research was sited which indicates that Parkinson’s disease itself doesn’t increase the likelihood of impulse problems such as compulsive gambling or shopping addiction, turning the focus of research to the medications people take for the disease. Previously it was known that people… Continue reading Parkinson’s Disease Itself Does Not Increase Risk of Gambling, Shopping Addiction
Are You Addicted to Online Shopping?
For many people, online shopping is a convenient way to shop. For others, though, it’s an easy method to become addicted to. In a recent survey, people were asked why online shopping could become an addiction. Some of the reasons they listed include: Easy to use non-cash payment methods which encourage impulse purchases. People who… Continue reading Are You Addicted to Online Shopping?