Shopping Addiction

by: Victoria Richard

         Shopping addiction also known as compulsive-buying disorder or compulsive shopping. It affects about six percent of the U.S. population.  Shopping addiction is the compulsion to spend money, regardless of need or financial means. The addict may be addicted to a certain product, such as clothes or jewelry, but he or she may also buy anything from food and beauty products to stocks or real estate.                                              

       The people closest to the addict are sometimes the only ones to know about the problem.  They may hide their purchases, or make it seem as if they have plenty of money to shop without limits. Many compulsive shoppers convey an image of wealth and success while in reality they are deeply in debt. If they are unable to stop shopping or suffer from large amounts of shopping debt, an addiction may be present. A shopping addict may show an obsession with making purchases on a daily or weekly basis, shop to cope with stress, feel intense euphoria or excitement after making purchases, and buy unnecessary things or purchase items that go unused.

            Louisiana is not common for compulsive buying disorders. Addiction isn’t an acute illness like chicken pox. Rather, shopping addiction is a lifelong issue that affects the patient’s motivational priorities; however, it can be effectively treated and managed.

            There are many different treatments for shopping disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy programs are the gold standard in behavior modification. This form of therapy typically consists of a single patient engaging with a trained therapist in a session-based format at some regular interval, often weekly. CBT is especially popular for its noninvasive and non-drug-based approach to therapy, which allows the patient to exercise more control over treatment than with other options. Residential or inpatient shopping addiction treatment centers exists with an eye toward physical isolation of the patient and an effort to monitor overall health during the initial stages of treatment. Your doctor might order prescription and over-the-counter medications during the acute phase of your treatment. Treatment usually begins with a period of behavior modification by means of one form of therapy or another.


http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/features/shopping-spree-addiction