The primary essence of shopping is to get items that would be useful for one purpose or the other. However, some people have become addicted to shopping without knowing it.
When an individual is addicted to shopping, it means they obsessively or compulsively buy items to release negative emotions like depression, anger, anxiety, sadness, pain, etc.
Just like other types of addiction, shopping addiction comes with some unpleasant effects that affect the individual physically and mentally.
In this post, you will learn about some of the warning signs that may indicate if you or your loved ones are struggling with shopping addiction
You shop in secret
One of the ways to know when someone is struggling with shopping addiction is when they prefer to shop where no one will see them.
Some of them think that other people might begin to query them about their shopping habits, so they would rather go to get things during times when no one would notice them.
You don’t like tracking your finances
If you want to know the extent to which you spend on shopping, you can know when you track your finances. Someone struggling with addiction knows what they will see on their financial statement so they avoid looking through it.
You shop when you are stressed
Someone addicted to shopping is likely to shop when they have a stressful or bad day. For instance, if they fall out with their loved ones, they might go out and shop to discharge the negative emotions so that they can feel better.
Your excitement fizzles out after shopping
Another way to know that shopping addiction is in play is when you feel excited before shopping and when you’re done, you begin to feel like you’ve made a mistake. So, even if it is a highly desired purchase you made, you don’t feel joyful or excited when you’re done.
If you feel like you have a shopping addiction, the first step is to acknowledge the problem so that you can feel motivated to seek help. It is also important to see a counselor and talk to your loved ones about it so that they help you get over it.