Addicted to Shopping? | Psychiatrist Explains | Dr Elliott 

As somebody with ADHD and ASD, impulse control can be difficult for me in general. I never had issues with impulsive spending due to growing up poor and always being afraid of being homeless. However I have noticed since the pandemic this constant mood in me that basically feels akin to hopelessness, like "everything is hopeless so why not buy whatever it is I want today". So it's been more of a problem lately. I've noticed most of my issues with executive functions have gotten more severe since the pandemic, I feel as though the event has really had a negative impact on mental health for a lot of us, leading to more of this behaviour?

I definitely see spending as an addiction. It provides immediate gratification activating the pleasure centres in the brain. It can also causes the person spending to lie and while it might start small gradually there’s an increase as it becomes needed to function. It’s also used as a method to get through the day, with a repeating pattern that gets worse when untreated. However very importantly it is an addiction as it not only significantly damages the “addict” but the whole entire family.

Shopping - mostly change of focus from pain to pleasure - even when not purchasing anything, but often does result in purchases, due to impulsivity and not having clear awareness of priorities. Always have been a way to battle stress, anxiety, and depression. Body needs that spike of “feels good” hormones. Can be anything that we find pleasure in - food, social media, shopping, socializing etc… It’s not anything separate, it’s just a result of our way of coping with stress.

I’ve never experienced this in isolation but during a manic episode boy do I love throwing away my money.

I think it is in the same class as comfort-eating, i.e., a bad coping strategy.

For me it starts when my winter depression kicks in. It feels really unhealthy, it is an obsession in those months. When i start to feel better it goes away. And rest of the year i can shop in a healthy way.

Everything in Beverly Hills is crazy expensive! 💰💰💰 But whenever I’m in rich neighborhoods, I always go to thrift stores you can find some really cool things!

For me personally, it’s a symptom of my bipolar. When I start purchasing things compulsively, it tells me I’m headed for a manic episode.

When I don't take my adhd meds, mine gets horrendous. I think of some items for days, like when I was a klepto (??). When my stuff arrives I don't even care, and leave a pile of boxes.

I have over shopped as a part of codependency and maybe some ADD 😬 I would buy a lot for people in my family who were struggling financially because of bad decisions and addiction issues and it became a habit. I will buy things for a project or hobby I get excited about but then never finish so all the supplies for it just takes up space. The pandemic made things worse because I buy things for family that lives out of state and I was only able to go once a year so everything just piled up. I also bought five bins of stuff for a huge Birthday bash which got canceled because of Covid and now it's just taking up space the last 2+ years. It's become really detrimental and causes a lot of anxiety not to mention my place is approaching level 3 hoarder. My bathroom sink hasn't been working right for months but I haven't asked maintenance to come because it's so messy. (Not trash or anything but super crowded with stuff and bins of stuff). I've been trying to fix it and have cut down a lot on my compulsive spending this year (especially on others) but I need to make more strategic efforts. It always feels fun in the moment but I feel sick with anxiety after. With everything getting more expensive the last few years I can't continue to spend the way I have.

So my area of research (and clinical practice) is addiction psychology. So there’s two types of addiction: substance and behavioural. I would actually argue that the way we define addiction in common language is slightly skewed. To me, addictions are maladaptive coping strategies and depending on the type avoidance of the symptoms of your body trying regain homeostasis in the absence of the substance (withdrawal). I would be very surprised to see compulsive buying as a disorder in and of itself, as there’s probably an underlying psychopathology that fits better (such as a mood disorder like bipolar or anxiety). It’s almost a diagnosis of exclusion. The same I would say for sex and porn too. If you drill down into people’s lives it’s either they were massively distressed about some aspect of their past, have historical adverse events or are using it as an excuse for criminal behaviour (I say that without any moral judgement). Gambling is different to me as the industry uses very well known and studied physical and psychological manipulation to keep people gambling. So is compulsive shopping a disorder? It’s certainly possible. But my guess is an MDT assessing for a mood disorder, prescribing and formulating for such would yield as much positive outcomes as treating it as a discreet disorder. Sad to say but there’s also the factor that private companies (especially in America) profit over labelling it separate to say mania or depression!

Well, I found this very interesting but also very depressing. Now I know that there are a few treatment options or something very real…which just makes me feel even more anxious.

Question: I was in a relationship with a guy who could not hold onto money. He would pay his bills but the rest of his money was burning a hole in his pocket. The interesting thing about him, from what I could tell, is that he never showed signs of remorse or regret after purchasing. He might have spent his last dollar and he might express he wish he had more money to spend but not that he regretted the purchase itself. Is that normal for a person with a shopping addiction?

I would argue that in most cases it is probably a symptom and/or a damaging coping strategy more so than a standalone disorder? Individual symptoms can be highly detrimental. Of course, I wouldn't know either way. I guess it depends on how we want to define and treat addiction, so I can easily see the argument for that one too. The main thing for me, and why I think it needs to be in the DSM and researched is that whatever it is, it can absolutely ruin a life just as handily as a gambling addiction or PTSD can.

Fantastic video as always, enjoy the holiday! I’ll never understand why LA roads are so wide.

I know when my BP gets me closer to manic that I want to shop...way too much. I've found I can still get some of the high/release by entering contests online, none that require a bunch of info. Odd win-win

I recently realized both me and my wife had same childhood traumas.dysfunctional families.I am addicted to drugs and she is addicted to shopping.we also both have ADHD.And We live in a never ending codependency cycle.

However I think we need to start specifying the difference between addictions with a physical dependence component and those which do not as they are entirely different and require totally different treatment approaches.

I had seen people that shop out of control. They have messy places and a messy life. Compulsive shopping has a relation to mental problems.

Well I feel, like any diagnosis, whether or not it's part of normal human behavior or a disorder depends on how it affects someone's life. There is the factor about feeling guilty and unhappy about having spent, but there are also other factors like debt, or space to keep what you've bought. Are you buying a new shirt when you have a closet full of unworn clothes and you're struggling to pay your bills? Then it's a disorder even without the sense of guilt/low mood. If it exists on its own without any other mental illness, then I'd say it should be its own diagnosis.

I really like this style of video. I would like to know more about these types of mental illnesses(?) that are a bit of a mystery or lesser known. (Or well known but less well understood.) I heard about a case where a man lived a fairly normal life but suffered from extremely advanced hydrocephalus... always wanted to have that one explained to me by a medical professional.

It's a coping mechanism, like how there are people who often smoke cigarettes. The only way to get rid of it is to understand what it is to be enough for yourself and or to find where you're happy with your life, otherwise the pharmacy is happy to take your money. Get lionsmane and cacao for healthy support and cut as much sugar(s) out of your diet as possible.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on My Strange Addiction, because I'd like to know how you would treat disorders like Pica and if you'd think anyone on that show would need sectioning. On the subject of shopping addictions a good example of that is the show Extreme Couponing, where people use several vouchers to by several things for practically nothing. Now a days shops in the US are realizing that it'll be sensible to not allow that behavior.

It's a real thing. When I'm left unsupervised in a Barnes and Noble, I will probably blow the rent money on a major book haul.

Shopping addiction is a real thing, no question that it exists. Look at when and why you shop

yes me I have it. part of adhd and depression XD

Honestly it seems pretty straightforward to me that the action of an anti-psychotic even at low doses might suppress the original urge and would definitely suppress the reward mechanism of shopping.

Just a brit in beverly talking about mental illness just another tuesday

What if you’re someone who loves to shop but doesn’t want to purge anything? Like closets are bursting and you’re holding onto clothes and things from 10+ years ago? The thought of selling or donating anything is unreal to me.

When the outcome is inconsistent, that suggests that the individuals suffering from the symptoms may not have the same root cause of the symptom.

Ok I grew up in Beverly HIlls 55 years ago - no one I knew shopped in Beverly HIlls and only stupid people would buy "designer" anything as it was totally overpriced (by about 1000%). Yes Beverly Hills has very beautiful shops but I doubt people who live there are shopping there.

Did you watch my recent upload about going shopping after having an anxiety attack at the medical lab? Sounds like you did! : ) Luckily I curb spending by going to the thrift store and the share shed! Today I found ALL the chair rail I wanted for my living room! All new and clean and the right colour and everything, all 80' of it! So excited, just had to tell someone!

When I am in a manic state I always compulsivley shop. I spend loads of money I don't have, which from what I know is typical in bipolar disorder.

SSRI can also make you disinhibited and more impulsive

It would be really cool if you could react to Joker and Arthur Fleck, if you have the chance? :D

I call it Retail Therapy

💖

It's a behariour that serves some function. Addiction can begin to numb painful thoughts and feelings, not as a mere impulsive action. Of course, once psychological and especially physiological dependency begins, then addiction can develop "a life of its own". Please start mentioning ACT, as an ever increasing psychological therapy rather than just CBT?

Reaction to Confession of a Shopaholic when?

I would be a millionaire if I just saved up all my money. I can't stop myself from buying weed and mushrooms and clothes and shoes etcetera

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