Shopping Addiction

Shopping addiction is the colloquial term for compulsive shopping/buying (CS/CB). It is sometimes also referred to as buying/shopping dependence/addiction or pathological buying. It can also be linked to oniomania, a behavioural addiction associated with ‘excessive financial investments […] which cause distress or significant dysfunctions to the patients.’ Some people consider shopping addiction to lie alongside obsessive-compulsive disorders, especially impulse control disorders. Others suggest that this comparison is not useful in a clinical context.

Several screening tools have been developed to clinically define shopping addiction, including the Compulsive Buying Scale, the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale-Shopping Version, the Pathological Buying Screener, and the Compulsive Buying Follow-Up Scale.

Symptoms commonly included amongst these lists include:

• Increased tendency to spend money
• Compulsion to purchase things
• Buying multiple versions of the same item
• Post-purchase guilt
• Using credit cards
• Using ‘pay later’ features such as Klarna and ClearPay
• Accruing debt from spending on non-essential items
• Frequently being in your overdraft
• Frequently borrowing money from others
• Buying excessive gifts for others
• Emotional attachment to the shopping experience
• Being preoccupied with thoughts of shopping or specific objects
• Reliance on ‘retail therapy’
• Being defensive about your spending habits
• Hiding purchases from others
• Minimising the extent of financial difficulty
• Feeling empty or detached in the absence of spending
• ‘Bargain’ hunting

An estimated 1 in 5 women are ‘shopaholics.’ A 2000 article reported that experts estimated that 10% of the population lived with a shopping addiction. Among women, this percentage jumped to 20%. Considering the age of this article and the ease of access to shopping, given the rise in internet-based buying, we can only assume that these numbers have continued to grow in the past two and a half decades.
A more recent meta-analysis (2015) suggests that around 5% of individuals deal with a shopping addiction. It concluded that women are also more prone to shopping addiction, but suggested that there was no discrepancy in age, meaning individuals of all ages live with this condition. This dispels the myth that excessive spending is a ‘youth’ problem experienced especially by the millennials and Gen Z.

The causes of shopping addiction are plural. It is difficult to pinpoint what events or factors may catalyse a shopping dependency with complete accuracy. However, it is possible to highlight some contributing elements that have been identified in both clinical research and practice. These include:

• Very low mood
• High anxiety
• Chronic stress
• The need to rely on a specific coping mechanism
• Social isolation
• Relationship dissolution or divorce
• Feelings of guilt
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Feeling lonely
• Previous experience of bullying or abuse
• Previous experience of being financially controlled
• Dopamine deficiency

Compulsive buying is also related to specific comorbid conditions, such as:

• Mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Substance use disorders
• Eating disorders
• Impulse control disorders

Individuals dealing with a shopping addiction may also describe themselves as being self-critical or ‘perfectionists’ and may use spending as a way of managing difficult emotions that arise from these traits.

Whilst shopping addiction may be seen as ‘low-risk’ in comparison to other addictions, we can identify that this condition does come hand in hand with significant dangers.

Living with these impacts for too long can lead to a hotbed of anxiety. This may lead to even further disruption, as you may develop complex secondary emotions, fester in guilt and be unable to sleep due to financial concerns. These types of worries can also tip towards an additional addiction, with some people dealing with shopping addiction turning to gambling to attempt to make ends meet or substances to alleviate guilt. This can perpetuate difficult cycles and act to deepen the complex issues already being experienced.

Are you or a loved one struggling with a shopping addiction? It can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. Reach out to us today and learn more about what support and strategies to address your shopping addiction, giving you the guidance you need to break free from compulsive spending. Our compassionate and experienced team is dedicated to helping you regain control over your life.