Shopping Addiction: Signs, Causes and Treatment

Imagine a thrill that rivals a roller-coaster. Your heart races, palms sweat, and rush of pure joy engulfs you. Now imagine that this thrill is not from skydiving or winning a lottery but swiping your card at a checkout counter. This condition is shopping addiction, where the act of buying takes over or hijacks your life and finances. It’s not just about enjoying a new pair of shoes; it’s about a relentless urge, a compulsion to purchase even what you don’t need, can’t afford, or will never use. Shopping addiction is also sometimes referred to as compulsive buying disorder or Oniomania.

Compulsive buying disorder:

Compulsive buying disorder was first described in the early 1900s by Kraepelin. He referred to it as “Oniomania” which comes from the Greek word Onios means sale and mania means insanity. Shopping addiction may masquerade as a harmless retail therapy but for people having this disorder face real trouble. Compulsive buying disorder has been described in several different stages (Maraz & Costa, 2022). The first one is all about preoccupations, these intense thoughts around shopping and buying that include both the anticipation and the excitement, and the actual practicalities of what credit cards you’re going to use, what you’re going to buy, where you’re going to buy it, what time of day you’re going to do it (Elizabeth Hartney, 2023).

That then leads to maybe a bit of a sense of anxiety but also a huge urge to do it that can then only be relieved by going out and shopping and spending. But that relief is temporary because quickly after that period of euphoria and the relief of that anxiety comes the shame and the low mood and more anxiety that then reinforces the behaviour even more.

People who suffer from shopping addiction are also casually called Shopaholic, a person who is addicted to shopping regardless of whether it is online or in stores. This disorder affects both the genders and it often begins in the mid-20s as people gain independence (Maraz & Costa, 2022).

The Compulsive Nature of Shopping:

Shopping, after all, is originally set up to be a pleasant experience; and for many people it becomes a habit that borders on addiction. The thrill of acquiring something new stimulates the brain’s reward system. This makes a feedback loop which reinforces further such behaviour. All those sales promotion and limited time offers just add more fuel to the blaze, reinforcing the idea that one can’t afford not buying something (Sosenko, 2018).

The key to the problem is “spending addiction.” It goes beyond the mere act of shopping, touching on our psychological search for comfort and happiness through material objects. This understanding that the addiction goes far beyond just buying is important for a sound treatment strategy.

To break free from the clutches of shopping addiction, needs conscious effort. Search for help to seek psychological guidance in the form of therapy or support groups. This can be tremendously helpful when taking steps towards recovery from this torturous journey (Soares et al., 2016).

The Telltale Signs:

There is no consensus regarding what human behaviours actually construe as shopping addiction instead of just loving to shop. However, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) included shopping addiction as a type of addictive disorders. There is lack of sufficient peer-reviewed evidence for establishing the diagnostic criteria and course descriptions to classify it as a metal disorder.

McElroy et al. (1994) gave the first widely accepted definition to characterize the individuals who shop compulsively. The preliminary operational criteria given by the scholars is as follows:

Müller et al. (2021) did a Delphi expert consensus study to propose the following diagnostic criteria for conceptualizing shopping addition;

So how do you tell the difference between casual shopper and someone with shopping addiction? The signs are small, but revealing. Watch out for:

• Uncontrollable urges to shop. Can’t resist clicking ‘buy’? Are online shopping carts full like dirty laundry? These incessant cravings for trivial things is a warning sign.
• Shopping sprees as stress relief. Feeling down? Anxious? The shopaholics reach for credit cards rather than healthy coping mechanisms. They use retail therapy as a temporary Band-Aid on wound of the heart or psyche.
• Financial strain due to shopping. The financial chaos shopping addiction creates is evident in mounting debts, hidden packages and maxed-out credit cards.
• Hiding purchases and feeling shame. Secrecy and shame become close associates. People with Shopping addiction may conceal their purchases, deceive about spending and excuse themselves excessively after the high subsides

The Causes Unveiled:

But what makes someone go to such extremes? Shopping addiction is complex and varied. The act of buying offers some a brief reprieve from emotional torment. Still others pursue the dopamine high that accompanies each purchase-a rush they soon lose. This can represent a frantic effort on the part of some to fill holes in their sense of self-worth or identity through material things.

Treatments: A road to recovery

The comprehension gap surrounding shopping addiction significantly impacts the potential for interventions and treatments. While there is no established gold standard for addressing shopping addiction, certain pharmacological and psychological treatments have exhibited promising outcomes. Initial drug trials focused on those proven effective in treating conditions with similar phenotypic features, such as OCD, impulse control disorders, and mood disorders (Soares et al., 2016).

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), initially tested due to shared characteristics between shopping addiction and OCD, yielded minor or nonsignificant effects in symptom reduction (Soares et al., 2016). Despite initial promise with fluvoxamine, subsequent double-blind placebo-controlled studies failed to demonstrate significant differences between fluvoxamine and placebos (Ninan et al., 2000; Black et al., 2000). Similar results were observed with citalopram and escitalopram (Koran et al., 2003, 2007). Antidepressants like bupropion and nortriptyline, tested through single case reports, lack conclusive evidence for their efficacy (Weinstein et al., 2016)

Psychotropic drugs affecting reward pathway neurotransmitter systems, including opioid antagonists like naltrexone, showed promise in reducing craving and impulsive buying (Kim, 1998; Grant, 2003). Topiramate and memantine also demonstrated potential in reducing symptoms (Guzman et al., 2007; Ye et al., 2014; Grant et al., 2012). However, the absence of systematic, controlled studies hinders the establishment of pharmacological interventions’ effectiveness (Soares et al., 2016)

In contrast, psychological treatments exhibit greater promise, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Studies by Mitchell et al. (2006) demonstrated significant symptom reductions and improvements in compulsive buying episodes and time spent buying. CBT’s efficacy persisted in follow-up studies (Mueller et al., 2008, 2013; Benson et al., 2014). Publication bias and limitations often challenge the efficacy of other psychological approaches, such as psychoanalysis, psychodynamic, and family therapy, despite showing improvement in some cases. (Lourenço Leite et al., 2014; Hague et al., 2016)

Conclusion:

Fortunately, shopping addiction is not a death sentence. And like any other addiction, it can be cured. Psychotherapy can help people get to the root causes and find better ways of coping. In support groups, people can talk about their experiences and feel the strength of community. Financial guidance also teaches you how to cope with debt and regain financial stability (Weinstein et al., 2016)

Shopping addiction is no character flaw; it’s a treatable condition. If you think you or a loved one may be affected, ask for help. With just one mindful purchase you can break free from the cycle of compulsive shopping and begin reclaiming control over your life.