Shopping
addiction has much in common with better-known addiction such as drugs or
alcohol. It may not have the same catastrophic consequences on health as
substance abuse, shopping addiction or Oniomania (to give it its medical name)
is a serious condition that can have huge ramifications of the sufferers’
personal and financial well-being.
A shopaholic may
experience craving to shop whenever they are feeling anxious, disappointed,
lonely, and we are depressed. The shopping addict may feel the need to buy
something whether or not they need it. Shopping addiction is far more commonplace
in women than men are. This addiction is often classed as compulsive disorder.
Whether it is an addiction or a compulsion, the effects of the same and the
person suffering from shopping addiction will feel powerless over their habits.
Compulsive behavior may cause the sufferer to act out character or act in a
spontaneous way. Shopping addiction can be a vicious cycle as feelings of guilt
and shame about yet another spending spree sinking in, the shopping addict may
try and counteract these feelings with another bout of spending. While list may
temporarily soothe and comfort them, all too soon the pangs of disgust and
regret will set in creating a destructive trap that is very difficult to escape
from.
Shopping addicts,
will often shop whether or not they have the funds to do so many borrow money
from friends or rack up thousands of pounds worth of credit card bills as they
seek to feed their habit. Shopping addicts do not shop out of necessity all for
item, essential to everyday life. They may not easy and look at their purchases
again after they have but then, hiding them away on the backs of cupboards away
from site so others do not find out about their shopping addiction.
Like Any Addiction, many
shopping addicts try to conduct their habit in secret. They may shop alone,
fearing judgement from friends about their spending habits. They may also be
trying to hide the frequency of their shopping sprees to. Quite often, someone
suffering from Oniomania may try to hide bank statements, receipts and will lie
about how much their purchases cost. The shopping addict may spend a long time
in denial, as they tried to deny that there shopping addiction is a problem and
may be hostile to anyone who deals to bring up the subject, even if it is out
of concern and trying to help them.
Finances can
become very difficult when someone suffering from shopping addiction. They may
neglect everyday bills and necessary costs in favor of reckless spending. They
may even find that they face problems at work as there shopping eats into work
time. The shopping addict often ends up in a spiral of debt that they can become
powerless over. Hiding letters from debt companies along with the bank statements,
they can simple into a bottomless pit of debts that is very difficult to escape
from. Shopping addiction can be helped and personal as well as financial
counselling may be needed.