Are You a Shopaholic?

One of my all-time favorite books is "Confessions of a Shopaholic," which was turned into a hilarious romantic comedy. In the book and film, Rebecca Bloomwood is hiding the fact that she is a shopaholic from her family, coworkers, love interest and most of all, herself. I  am sure many of us have referred to ourselves as a "shopaholic," at some point or other, most likely after a shopping trip that has left us feeling slightly guilty. I know I have. What makes Becky’s situation so ironic is that she acquires a journalism position at "Successful Savings," a financial savings magazine (with the hope of working her way up to a fashion magazine). Yet, she is $16,000 in debt. In addition to watching the film (a great excuse to see it again) and looking into psychology research on traits and habits of a shopaholic, I found some interesting information pointing towards the question of -- am I and are you a shopaholic?

Healthmeup.com author, Pinto states, “Being a shopaholic is a common habit these days. Most of us wish to have unlimited access to shop at a giant shopping centre, and many of us are also aware of terms like – ‘Shopaholics,’ ‘Shop till you drop,’ or ‘I exist because I shop.’” Below are a couple common signs of shopping symptoms that could mean you’re a shopaholic...

Do you have merchandise still in shopping bags in your closet or items that still have the tags on? Ellisor says that if you have forgotten about some of these possessions then that’s a problem. Becky has a closet full of new and unworn clothes but when it comes time for an upcoming event at her workplace she insists she needs a new dress until her best friend reminds her of a gorgeous dress hanging unworn in her closet. If you have items in your closet that have never seen the light of the day, then you could be a certified shopaholic, says Pinto.

Are you tempted by things you don’t necessarily need? “A store can awaken a lust for things you never even knew you needed!” proclaims Becky. In this case, you are easily tempted to buy what you see, even though you don’t need it, just to make yourself happy. You may be particularly vulnerable to this if you have a materialistic obsession to luxury or designer items, such as shoes or handbags, explains Ellisor.

Do you get a rush when you make new purchases? Getting a buzz from the act of retail acquisition is a notable shopaholic characteristic listed by Svoboda in "Psychology Today". “The dopamine rush and connection between pointless purchasing and feeling better is closely associated with shopaholic behavior,” explains Pinto. If one of your favorite hobbies is shopping, you probably have had this feeling. Becky describes the feeling of purchasing something as, “the best feeling in the world,” with a joyful sensation between yourself and shopping. However, this feeling wears off once you return home and realize you’re out a few hundred dollars. Guilt then settles in.     

Becky is in denial about her problem for most of the film, but her best friend makes her promise to attend Shopaholics Anonymous. Becky attends but it doesn’t seem to help her shopping addiction. It’s not until she loses her job and the man she loves, through being exposed by a debt collector on national television, that she realizes she has a problem. No worries though, the movie ends up with her having a massive sale on all her merchandise and she ends up with the guy. Of course, that's the Hollywood version and if you really do think you have a problem, Ellisor suggests starting with self-help books. You also may want to ask friends and family to help keep you in check or enlist professional help, like therapy or classes. Unlike Becky, I could never get myself in this big of a mess and don't think I'll need to check myself in, at least anytime soon. 

Did you say yes to any of these questions? Do you think you're a shopaholic? 

Sources: 
-Confessionals of a Shopaoholic (film). 2009. 

-Ellisor, Margie. (2014). http://fox2now.com/2014/02/26/are-you-a-shopaholic/

-Pinto, Renita T. (2012). http://healthmeup.com/photogallery-healthy-living/shopaholic-habits-are-you-a-shopaholic/17845

-Svoboda, Elizabeth. (2010).  http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201010/field-guide-the-shopaholic