Out of Control Shopping
We need groceries, clothing, and household items to survive. In-store purchases, online orders, curbside pickup – it’s all shopping and love it or hate it – we all need to shop. Treating ourselves to a special purchase or splurging on a high-end item from time can be kind of thrilling. It’s not unusual to have a bad day or be going through a rough time and think to yourself, “I deserve this item”, so you buy it and for a moment, you feel a little happier. What happens when shopping moves from buying necessities to items you don’t need?
Symptoms & signs of out of control shopping
- Overspending on items (buying only top of the line items)
- Overspending overall (buying more items than you need)
- Increasing debt or other financial problems
- Lack of space to store your purchases
- Hiding purchases in your home from your partner or others
- Having your purchases delivered to other locations
- Hiding financial statements from your partner or others
- Strain on your relationship with your partner or others
- Feeling euphoric when shopping
- Feeling remorse after making the purchase
- Feeling the need to buy again to feel the euphoria
When is it time to get help?
Are you concerned that your shopping feels out of control? Are you experiencing the above symptoms of problem shopping? If you’ve said yes to these questions or your shopping is causing problems in other areas of your life, such as your finances, your relationships, and your mental health, then it’s time to seek professional support.
Out of control shopping treatment methods
Like most out of control behaviours, it’s important to get to the cause of the behaviour. Perhaps you’re feeling depressed, anxious, or coping with a traumatic event in your life. This could be your way of self-medicating, but there are healthier ways to cope. The treatment method for you will be unique as your circumstances are unique. Your therapist will talk with you to determine the best treatment plan. There are several that are effective in treating this type of out-of-control behaviour including:
- Behaviour Therapy tends to view human beings and behaviour with the assumption that humans are a product of their sociocultural conditioning and environment, looking at the current problems and the factors influencing them and emphasizes behaviour changes more than the underlying unconscious processes.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves.
- Solution Focused Therapy views people as inherently strong and resilient, and capable of creating change and discovering solutions to their everyday problem.
What will I get out of treatment with Insight Psychological?
Our therapists have experience in treating a variety of problem behaviours in including out-of-control shopping. This is simply a coping mechanism for stressful areas in your life. We can help you to deal with those areas in a healthier way. You are not alone and you can feel better and regain control of your shopping habits.
Please contact us to book an appointment or to learn more.
