Top Signs of Compulsive Shopping

This is an often overlooked issue…

Face it. We are a society of consumers. Madison Avenue marketing gurus convince us each and every day that we can’t live without (you name the item). If only we buy this we could be more popular or beautiful, if only we buy that our lives would be so much better. Shopping has become a recreational activity for many. For others, we shop as a way to make ourselves feel better when we’re feeling down or stressed. The reasons for compulsive shopping are many.

Statistics published in the October 2006 Journal of Psychiatry indicated that about 5.8% of the U.S. population are compulsive buyers – that’s more than fifteen million people!

So how do you know if you are a compulsive shopper?

Ask yourself the following questions. Be honest in your answers.

• There are unopened shopping bags in my closet.
• I have unused and unworn items in my home.
• I often buy things I don’t need.
• I frequently spend more than I can realistically afford.
• I shop as a way of dealing with stress.
• My shopping habits have caused problems in my relationships.
• Whenever I have money, I want to spend some or all of it.

If you answered “yes” to a number of these questions, you could have a problem with compulsive shopping and may want to seek out professional help.

For more on the topic of compulsive shopping, To Buy or Not to Buy: Why We Overshop and How to Stop by April Lane Benson, PhD. offers readers a comprehensive program for stopping compulsive buying.