How to Cure a Compulsive Shopping Addiction
by Steps you can take to get your shopping addiction under control before it controls your life.
Is your closet filled with clothing items that you don’t need or wear? Do you find yourself heading to the mall when you feel down or stressed? While shopping serves a useful function and can be a pleasurable pastime, for some people it can turn into an addiction. The good news is there are some simple steps you can take to overcome a compulsive shopping addiction and get your life and bank account back into order.
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Shop Only from a List
Before you head out the door to go shopping, make a list of exactly what you need. Be very detailed in your description of each item that you’re looking for and make sure it’s an item you actually must have. When you leave the house, take your list with you and follow it to the letter. Each time you go shopping and buy only what’s on your list, reward yourself with a small treat such as a cappuccino at a coffee café. This positively reinforces your good behavior
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Stop Being Lulled In by Good Deals
Many people who suffer from compulsive shopping addiction can’t pass up a good deal. They search the newspapers for announcements of sales and promotions so they won’t miss out on bargains. If you’re constantly seeking out the next sale or deal, make it a point to stop reading sales ads and brochures in your local newspaper. When the Sunday paper arrives with all of those colorful sale publications, set them aside before reading the news.
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Keep Accurate Records of Your Spending
Many people who suffer from compulsive shopping addiction have no idea how much money they’re spending each month. They blindly pull out their credit card for their next purchase without regard how those “little purchases” are adding up. Force yourself to write down everything thing you buy on a daily basis. Set a goal of only spending a certain amount on a monthly basis. If you reach your goal without going over, give yourself a small reward.
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Pick Up a New Hobby
Sometimes compulsive shopping is done out of boredom. Explore opportunities for joining local clubs in your area or consider picking up a new hobby. You may discover that there are more enjoyable ways to spend the day than spending money at the mall.
Compulsive shopping addiction doesn’t have to rule your life. By being aware of the problem and taking some simple steps to break the cycle of spending, you can stop shopping addiction. Your bank account will thank you!
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Post Commentanonymos
On December 21, 2008 at 1:22 pm
im a compulsive shopper.
i admit it.
Vernell
On January 22, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I have just recently been able to admit to myself that i am a compulsive shopper…I am going to follow these 4 steps to see if it helps me…b4 my problem gets worse
lauren
On July 17, 2009 at 9:48 am
I didnt think i was a compulsive shopper untill i saw how much money i had left,spending 50 dollars in 10 minutes is sad
Joseph
On November 18, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Dear fellow compulsive shoppers,
My name is Joseph and I am producing a new documentary film aimed to raise awareness of compulsive shopping and shopoholism in America.
Both I and the film’s director are recovering compulsive shoppers. I know the feeling of having an uncontrollable urge to shop and consume to fill something within, but only to be left with an emptiness at the end of the day. We seek to bring to light both the psychological and cultural forces that have brought about our epidemic of compulsive shopping. What is it that drives us to fill our lives with “things?”
We are searching for someone who would feel comfortable in front of a camera, and would like to share with us the motivations behind their shopping.
If you would like to raise awareness of the issue by sharing your story in our film, we would love it if you could send us some information about yourself – your name, age & general area of residence, as well as some insight into your situation. How does compulsive shopping affect your day-to-day life? Are you stuck in a cycle of shopping to make yourself feel better? Does compulsive shopping hold your life back through debt, or other financial obstacles? Has the ritual of shopping replaced other, more productive or personally beneficial activities you may have previously participated in?
Please just let me know if you feel you may want to participate.
Thank you so much and best of luck!
Joseph Ferrera
josephferrera1@gmail.com
dlaurie
On January 10, 2011 at 1:31 pm
I too am a compulsive shopper….still searching for what drives me to do it. Even my own husband doesn\’t think it is a real problem, but I know it is everytime I look at my credit card bills. When no one believes you have a problem how do you get help? I too will try these steps…but I have tried some of them before and it is very east to stray from that list because you will realize you forgot to put something on it and because you are at the store you should just get it now…and before you know it there are 5 extra items in your cart that weren\’t on your list. Been there done that one too many times.