Compulsive shopping: how to avoid it?

Compulsive shopping, what is it?

Do you use your credit card with great ease and can't give up the clothes that call you from the windows? Be careful not to cross the fine line that separates shopping from compulsive shopping.

• what is that? Psychologists refer to it as a pathology, an "addiction without a product" or even "a drug addiction without drugs". According to a study by the French doctor Isabelle Chereau, this pathology consists of an obsession with purchases, a need to make frequent and repeated purchases of objects that are often useless and that often exceed one's financial capacity.

• because? People who suffer from this addiction often seek consolation for their malaise in purchases and attribute to the objects purchased incredible and symbolic virtues (the lipstick that makes you sexy, the dress that makes you thin ...). But the moment of exaltation it is followed by disappointment. The unbridled search for the salvific object resumes and a vicious circle begins.

Good to know: Maybe this addiction is a symptom of latent depression.

• the consequences: they can be very serious. From financial problems (excessive debt, ruin, loans ...) to great psychological suffering (isolation, guilt, depression).

The aggravating factors

• we constantly refer to hyper-consumerism: as soon as you buy a garment that the current star wore, she already shows off another one! Today low-waisted jeans are in fashion, tomorrow it's high-waisted. Mobile phones go out of fashion in the blink of an eye and the restaurants that are trendy on Saturdays are already out the following Monday! You are tempted to always buy new things to keep up with the trends of the moment.

• online shopping: the success of online sales sites has exploded in recent years. It is no longer worth moving to shop: with just one click, in front of the screen and without having to put out your wallet, you can break into an online shop. But beware: according to a study conducted by the Harris Interactive company in October 2007, 55% of women aged 45 to 54 are at risk of compulsive Internet shopping, compared to 38% of men!

• Goodbye banknotes! Credit cards, online payments, checks very often replace banknotes. In this way it becomes difficult to become aware of how much you really spend.

How to regain control?

• leave your credit card at home: if you go shopping, take only the cash you have in your wallet with you. This way you will better control your expenses.

• Establish a budget: read your bank statements, regularly consult your accounts on the Internet and learn to manage your money better by forecasting a sum to spend on shopping, without ever exceeding it.

• ask yourself questions before buying! Do I really need this new lipstick? Will I have the courage to put on these apple green flared pants? Are there any other expenses that take precedence? Rent, phone bills? Will I really feel better after this purchase?

• keep a diary of your purchases to be scrupulously updated. If you realize that you have bought useless things, try to understand why. And think twice next time you shop ...

• take stock: open the closet and take stock. With what you spent to buy your 25 pairs of flip-flops, you could have given yourself a weekend in a wellness center ... instead of buying those 8 anti-wrinkle creams, you would have paid for a course of facial treatments at the institute! Think a little ...

• try it: go out for a stroll around the shops without money or credit card, but for the simple pleasure of feasting your eyes. If you see something that satisfies you, wait a few days to understand if you really miss this object or if the desire has passed.

• always check if it is possible to return an item for free before buying it. So if you can't resist the temptation to buy it, you can bring it back if you realize your account has gone red.

• get help: if you suffer from your compulsive shopping, you should go to a specialist. To understand the reasons for your addiction, you may want to undergo psychotherapy or behavioral therapy.

Did you know that?

• about 8% of the Italian population would suffer from the shopping syndrome and 90% are women!

• the four main compulsive expenses concern clothes, shoes, jewelery and beauty products.

• every year, in Europe, there is a day dedicated to "non-purchase": the last Saturday of November.