How to Treat Compulsive Shopping 

Anybody else wake up in the morning with the strongest urger to spend money? I roll over and immediately open amazon…

It affects men just as much as women, we just aren't the ones discussing it. Amazon gets me with new tech products every few months. Recently admitted it to myself and spoke with a psychiatrist, as compulsive spending can be common with bipolar. She doesn't believe I am bipolar but I have depression, low self esteem, and look for the dopamine of getting packages. So working on selling off my bad purchases and going to move forward and find other ways to distract myself than my wallet.

Getting up to 10 packages in the mail is like Christmas several days a week!

I just made a purchase I feel sick to my stomach about. It was around $300, financed it. I had a devastating realization about a week ago and I haven't been able to stop. This isn't the first purchase I've made this week over $100

Collecting acorns for winter.

I can relate. I am 80 and got divorced last October. At the beginning of the separation 3 years ago, living alone, I amused myself by shopping. I'd noticed early on that I was a little embarrassed that the mail person was delivering packages and FedEx and UPS drivers were delivering stuff 2-3 times a week--sometimes more. Did my new neighbors notice? And yes, several things didn't fit or I didn't end up using them or they were cheap and fell apart fast. About 15% of what I was buying ended up in a donation box. This video brought better awareness to my situation.

It`s not that you only take care of human psyche, you also take care of human bank accounts, Mark :)

Every time I want to buy something I'm gonna watch this and be strong.

Thank you for posting this! I also struggle with purchasing too many things, which is why I'm dedicating a portion of my learning to cutting out this poor habit. Great video btw!

I know I need help. I don't even know when it happened but I found myself constantly browsing for small nonsense ( perfumes and samples, body creams, shampoos and such) when I should be saving money. These may not seem costly, but when you keep getting new ones constantly it's a massive drain on the wallet. I know I'm trying to soothe myself, now I need to find a healthy way of doing this.

I like the concept of separating it from ourselves, our or the client's core identity.

Compulsive shopping - very dangerous. Often a symptom and indication of DEEP rooted psychological issues including depression that could lead to suicidal thoughts and eventual suicide even! Many shopping addicts use the 'liberating' exciting feelings that accompany the anticipation of shopping - to cover their underlying trauma. I know someone who is a full blown shopping addict. They find excuses to go to the grocery store every single day and bring home stuff worth $200 or $300 dollars. Additionally packages keep being delivered at the door. 'Oh, I thought another grinder would be good for the kitchen' is the explanation. So mixer/grinder number 3 gets setup in the kitchen right next to the other two that work just as well. A few days later a set of pestle and grinding stone also get delivered to the house and they sit right next to the 3 grinders. 'Oh, this stone and pestle will help make delicious guacamole.' Always a reason, always an excuse. Slowly the kitchen and pantry and porch get overrun with utensils and storage bins with even more items, overflowing from the Kitchen where we have run out of space. Any outing with them results in this grown up person coming up with another reason/idea to stop at a grocery store or restaurant, 'Oh, I just remembered that there is this ONE item that we need at home. Promise, I will run in and bring just that one item and be back in 5 minutes'. Well the 5 minutes expands to an hour or more before this person steps out with bags and bags of items, most all of which are not needed'. It was only after I accompanied this person to Walmart and other large grocery stores, that I realized why Walmart and other retail outlets place some select items strategically at the entrance to the grocery section. This person will instinctively gravitate towards those loaves of freshly baked long bread and say: 'Hey lets grab some of these' [when there are several of these that lay unused at home, some of them moldy, because this person brings more and more of these every visit they make to the store'. So if I were to say, 'Hey we have so many of them at home', this person will just smile and brush it off and say, 'No problem, just grab a few more'. This individual has piles of very costly clothing that they purchased from high end retail outlets and never used them ONCE. So what do they do with all these high value but unused coats, jackets etc.? After a few years, they pick them up and give them away to someone [with the price tag and packaging still intact. So the item was not even taken out of the packaging!]. And why do they give these clothes away? To make room in the overflowing closet for even more new clothes! Most of the new clothes will never be used. Left untreated this mental disease progresses. Over a couple of decades or so, the behavior patterns of this person can become more erratic. Sudden burst of temper tantrums [where this person used to be very even tempered and balanced, originally]. Other bizarre behavior patterns. Thoughts and talks about taking their own life. That life holds no meaning. And then more frenzied bouts of shopping. The thought, preparation and anticipation of the shopping trip is the greatest even of their day and life. Sadly, as the shopping ends and they have to lug their purchase to their car, their excitement level comes crashing down. The 'Hypo mania' turns instantly into a 'depressive' mood-swing as they pull up to their house. The thought of lugging their new purchase into the house is very 'depressing to them'. The excitement level was in the anticipation, the preparation, the selection of items at the store, and the transaction, the swiping of the credit card, the collecting of the items and putting them back into the shopping cart. But there the excitement begins to taper off. And in some case 'guilt' overtakes their mind - as most of them are aware of their shopping addiction, even though most will try to deny an delude others and themselves from accepting that they have issues inside that manifest outside in the form of their 'shopping addiction'. Which is why many of the shopping addicts, rush back into the store after dropping their original purchase in their car. They hate the 'crashing' depressive feeling and the onslaught of guilt that comes with the end of the shopping trip. So they try to switch back from the 'depressive' state to the 'hypo manic'/super-excited state, by going back to purchase that 'one' item that they forgot. Well, the one item become 5 or 25 more items. Then they wistfully drive back home. Many of the purchased items may never be used. This could be confusing to people around them. 'Why would anyone buy items excitedly and never use them or rarely use them. Or not show the same excitement in using them as they did in the planning of the purchase?' - people may wonder. But the answer lies in the fact that the 'anticipation' the 'process', the 'transaction', the 'sight and smells' at the stores, the drive to the shopping store, these are what trigger the excitement. Not the actual item or the consumption of it. True many times they are excited about opening the packaging and using the item. Or unpacking the grocery item and cooking it. But by and large, it is the shopping experience that is paramount. The overriding thrill. So items soon lose value in their mind, once they are home. After all you can always go and buy more of them, to repeat the shopping experience and the excitement that comes with it.

Iron and clean you’re clothes make them smell good smile you’re ready u don’t need much ❤

Love this. I have hobbies that help my anxiety, but I also have this FOMO monster that I ended up buying more than I need. It's just on my hobbies but I could be doing other things with this money like investing. Will try some of these techniques.

Just found this channel. I have been obsessed with psychology since FOREVER. You see, I am "ancient" too 😉 I have a feeling I am going to learn A LOT here. Thank you in advance. Liked/subscribed.

I look forward to each f your videos. I find all your solutions practical and grounded. I can't get enough of them.

Such great content. So happy I found your channel. Thank you!

Thank you for this!

The book "30 Days to Stop Being a Shopaholic" by Harper Daniels is helpful.

Wow .. thank you for these techniques!!

Thank you for the steps and techniques you used on how to address this issue - - I like the future past - - leaking bank account. :)

Perfect timing

You just helped me understand so much. Thank you

Thank you, great video I’m trying to correct my own behavior and this is very helpful for the retrospective work!

Just had a client begin therapy with this issue. I always appreciate your content! Thank you.

That was incredibly helpful. Thank you for sharing your expertise!

thanks

I enjoy shopping on line immensely. I love finding items I love and waiting for them to be delivered. I do return 9 out of 10 items but average $3/400 monthly is spent on the items I keep. I don’t need these items but I want them. I have $20k house fixing coming up this and next year. I have to put aside $1k a month to offset this budget. This means I can’t buy clothes and shoes for 18 months. I have never been successful in doing no buy (tried it before a few times). I think the first is not to browse the websites. If I don’t see temptation I can hold off the urge better.

Thank you for sharing your ideas on how to treat this disorder. Could you recommend where I could learn this hypnotic method of deattaching from patterns?

I am a man with what is seeming more and more like an addiction! I too rationalize my spending by quoting the retail price, compared to the super bargain price! I'd be an idiot not to buy it! Mostly sneakers, and clothes! Also a hat of every shade and style to go with every possible outfit!

Brilliant! I've used similar avenues to help people with compulsive animal product consumption.

Am 49,Ancient and proud 👍

I’ve been a drug user (marijuana, alcohol, opiates and other legitimately prescribed medications for severe pain) for years but never developed an unhealthy addiction. I was very responsible. Bizarrely I have had a spending addiction and a pretty severe sex addiction that luckily didn’t get me into any physical or further psychological struggles. I pay off £500 debt then “justify” spending a bit here and a bit there on “sensible” items such as clothing I “need” or items for the house. Health items and food are exempt from scrutiny as they are paramount given my health issues. Then I’m right back where I started a week later. It’s not good. I play stupid tricks on myself but just like June, I used to buy stuff and not return it if it didn’t fit. I struggle with the want vs need aspect of the decision making. Luckily I’m not in quite as much debt as some but it’s still a problem I need to work hard to correct, hence why I’m here. Good luck to those of you who are trying to get a handle on this. 😅

My mom doesn’t think she has a gambling addiction when she texts me to buy her a lotto ticket. I say no and then she thinks I’m disrespectful. Just, NO 😂 I’ve had enough tho.

I buy ridiculous amounts of jewelry that is 5 dollars a piece. I can't even wear it all or know what I even have. I do it on a Facebook live where I feel I have friends so it meets a social need but I need to stop buying.

I swear I “need” everything.

Is there a realistic "shopping" game? That could take care of half of the problem? I love thrifting but even that can become a compulsion.

Okay but what if they like the items and the items bring them joy and they use them regularly? Then what do you recommend to stop the shopping addiction?

I bet its more than 5%

Ahahaha in Switzerland every shop is closed on Sundays….

Shopping addiction is very real, these women shop online at work. Then must go to a store after work. Some of the excuses will be.. looking for bargains 😂😂

I keep hearing patent instead of pattern.

Ancient as me 😂😂😂😂😂

This guy looks a bit like Tony Geary.

I believe that shopping is a mondern day primitive need to hunt. I started to make list of items i wanted to buy with price and store. I discovered that i didn't return to purchase any of it. Now if i buy something i often return items. The worst part of a shopping addiction is my compulsion to look at every single thing in the store. I'm not a fun person to shop with because this compulsively is so strong because i don'twant to miss a great deal.. Any advice?

I think compulsive buying is linked with narcissistic personality disorder, you have to hit rock bottom to get a slap, but it's already too late 😞

Any evidence that what you say works?

Thank you! Tomorrow i need to sit down and journal about these prompts. I need to stop shop bc its made my life stagnant. Problem is i used to be bulimic with anxiety and my shopping started with a pshyciatrist as exposure therapy. And the thing with my bulimic is how i enjoyed the rush after. I enjoyed how it made me feel. And the last year ive not been doing this bc of shopping, BUT I dont enjoy shopping. It makes me stuck in a shitty place… but now im scared i wont have the self control to not go back on bulimic habits when i stop. I tried lower the shopping and such but i seem to compensate already.. idk what to do 🥹😂

Thank you so much for this incredibly well structured and explained video! Very helpful and insightful!