How to Manage Shopaholism

Shop till you drop may sound like a fun-filled day at the mall for most people but for others, it can be an invitation to personal disaster. A day at the mall is a great way to enjoy time with one’s social shopping community of friends or family as long as shopping remains just that – just shopping. When the urge to shop gets out of control and becomes a substitute for healthy personal relationships or to bolster a delicate sense of self esteem, there could be a problem at hand. Like a compulsive drug user or alcoholic, the compulsive shopper must learn how to manage shopaholism, a psychological disorder that leads to out-of-control shopping that can wreak havoc on one’s life.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft Zwangserkrankugen, an organization in Germany dedicated to obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) formally recognized oniomania years ago; oniomania is the medical term for the compulsive desire to shop. The editing staff of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is currently weighing the pros and cons of including oniomania as a disorder in its next edition. Inclusion in the DSM usually means a disorder gets approved for healthcare insurance coverage in the United States.

By its many names – oniomania, compulsive shopping, compulsive shopping addiction, shopaholism – it’s all about shopping that’s gone out of control. Unrecognized and left untreated, social shopping becomes more anti-social than anything else, jeopardizing personal and professional relationships and often threatening financial ruin and legal problems.

The good news? It can be treated! The first step in learning how to manage shopaholism is recognizing it in the first place.

The Psychology Behind Your Shopping List

At what point does a shopping frenzy become an obsessive-compulsive disorder? Find out more about the psychology behind your shopping list from the people who study and track the disorder all around the world.

Like the Typical Shopping List, Shopaholism is Often Just One of Several Addictive Behaviors

That’s right. Just exactly like the typical shopping list, shopaholism is often just one of several addictive behaviors, with a compulsion to gamble being most closely associated with a shopping disorder. The list could be longer, however, as all addictions seem to come in clusters. Treating one compulsive behavior often leads to better management of the others.

Shopping as a Right of Gender

Women everywhere proudly claim shopping as a right of gender which, unfortunately, means most people suffering from the shopping OCD are women. Since many women like to go shopping with a friend or two as a means of getting social buying sprees are often planned as outings of fun. At what point, though, does fun with friends become a cause for concern?

The Shopper in Modern Culture and Entertainment

Shopping is unavoidable; it’s got to be done. Because it’s one universal theme that everyone can relate to, the shopper in modern culture and entertainment media is a popular figure. Here are some outstanding suggestions to add to your social shopping list. If you like where this leads you, be sure to share what you like with your social shopping online community.

Shopping Wish List Bigger Than Your Bank Account

Is your shopping wish list bigger than your bank account? That could be a sign of trouble with a shopping compulsion. Many compulsive shoppers overlook the big picture of personal finance when lured by the siren call of a ringing cash register. There’s a great deal of psychological value built into the average person’s relationship with money and people often confuse self worth with the bottom line. This confusion can be especially troubling when a compulsion to shop is also a part of the picture.

Online Shopping Venues Can Be Friend or Foe

Websites such as Amazon.com are becoming more common and more popular every day. These online shopping venues can be friend or foe to a compulsive shopper, depending on how internet time is managed. Compulsive behaviors are often kept secret and indulged in only in privacy. Late nights alone on a computer often prove too tempting for a compulsive shopper but limiting access to payment methods can make online ‘window shopping’ a safe and effective means for indulging without spending.

Shopaholism Can Bring Legal Repercussions

It’s easy to see how an obsessive-compulsive shopping disorder can affect one’s finances but shopaholism can bring legal repercussions, too. Facing legal problems caused by overspending is never pleasant but they can be dealt with. Make sure you’ve got a trusted mental-health counselor and a helpful lawyer on your team if legal issues arise. And don’t feel alone in your troubles. Know who the US Senate says is the biggest shopaholic in the world? The government of the United States of America.

Living with Shopaholism

Your compulsive spending habit may have you so deep in debt you feel there’s no hope of relief but living with shopaholism is an attainable goal, as long as some proven strategies are incorporated into daily living. Compulsive behaviors are as unique as each person is so don’t despair if one strategy doesn’t bring immediate results. Try several on for size to find what works best for you and be patient. Maybe a combination of strategies brings the most lasting relief. It will take time to learn the new life skills needed for coping with life as an ex-shopaholic so be prepared to make peace with yourself and remain open to discovering a pleasant side of life that might have been overlooked in the shopping mania. You can do it because you’re worth it!