Targeted and sponsored advertising all over your social media can fuel your desire to add unnecessary things to your online shopping cart. Add to this the fact that celebrities' and influencers' posts are made to trigger your FOMO, and you're fed with an endless stream of consumerism.
While some users outsmart the algorithms and artificial intelligence of modern marketing, some are more susceptible to these tricks. If you are one of the people who fall prey to these tendencies, you might be suffering from oniomania.
Oniomania Defined
Oniomania has many names: shopping addiction, pathological buying, buying addiction, and compulsive buying. This disorder occurs when a person constantly shops on impulse to avoid negative emotions, although this most often ends up having a negative impact on one's finances or relationships.
In an article published by Dr. Elizabeth Hartney on Verywell Mind, compulsive shoppers are described as people who "use shopping as a way of escaping negative feelings, such as depression, anxiety, boredom, and anger, as well as self-critical thoughts."
Unfortunately, she added, "the escape is short-lived."
April Lane Benson, a psychologist specializing in compulsive buying disorder (CBD), shares Dr. Hartney's sentiments.
"It's like looking for love in all the wrong places," she said. "Shopping is never going to, in an enduring way, meet your need for love and affection."
Although not cited as a psychiatric disorder until the early 20th century, this behavioral addiction has been recognized as far back as the early 19th century.
Related link: Texting While Walking Could Be a Sign of Addictive Behavior, Experts Say
Why People Shop Excessively
As with other addicts, Oniomaniacs shop on impulse to:
1. Cope with stress or emotional pain
2. Seek instant gratification or boost their self-esteem
3. Seek a status or portray a certain image
4. Connect with others
For many shopping addicts, compulsive buying produces a temporary high, which props them to buy things whenever they feel empty or sad. As a result, a person suffering from online shopping addiction can get into financial problems and heated arguments with loved ones or friends.
How to Tell If You Have Compulsive Buying Disorder
Almost everyone in the U.S. shops to some degree, but only about 6 percent are thought to have a shopping addiction. Here are some telltale signs you belong to the 6 percent population:
- You think about shopping all the time.
- You spend significant time and money on shopping and get grumpy if you can't shop.
- You often buy things you don't need even when you can't afford it.
- You hide your purchases from others.
- Shopping makes you feel better, but also...
- ...You have trouble keeping track of your budget.
- ...You are falling behind on bills.
- ...You are running out of room to store all of your purchases.
- ...You have run up debts by spending more than you earn.
Tips to Curb Your Spending
As with all addictions, there are certain steps you can take to control your urge to shop excessively.
- Develop your own spending plan and try to stick to it.
- Put your money into less accessible savings accounts.
- Block your favorite retailers' sites.
- Take your credit card information offline.
If all else fails, you can consult a mental health professional who will likely recommend cognitive behavioral therapy to help you understand the emotional roots of your shopping addiction. Consulting a financial advisor is also recommended if you need help in climbing out from under a mountain of debt.
See also: Save Money Using These Budgeting and Shopping Tips for Black Friday Sale 2019
