Table of contents:
- Different types of shopaholics
- What causes a person to become a shopaholic?
- The mindset of a shopaholic
- 1. Shopaholic will continue to try to be liked by others
- 2. Shopaholic has low self-esteem
- 3. Shopaholic has emotional problems
- 4. Shopaholic has difficulty controlling impulses
- 5. Shopaholic always indulges fantasy
- 6. Shopaholics tend to be materialistic
- Short term and long term effects experienced by shopaholics
- 1. Short term effects
- 2. Long term effects
Shopaholics are people who force themselves to shop and may feel that they have no control over this behavior. In other words, we can call a shopaholic suffering from a shopping addiction.
Different types of shopaholics
According to psychologist Terrence Shulman, shopaholics consist of various types of behavior, namely:
- compulsive shoppers (shopping to distract feelings)
- trophy buyers (find the perfect accessories for clothing, etc., even if they are high-end items)
- image buyers (buying expensive cars, and other things that are visible to others)
- discount buyers (buying items that are not needed just because they are slashing prices or it can be called a discount hunter)
- codependent buyer (buying only to be loved and liked by a partner or other person)
- bulimia buyers (buy then return, buy again then return again, similar to bulimia)
- collector buyers (must buy a complete set of goods or buy the same clothes in various colors).
If we think carefully, shopaholic is no longer a hobby, but it can be defined as a mental disorder. Therefore, let's take a closer look at shopaholics below!
What causes a person to become a shopaholic?
According to Ruth Engs, a professor of applied health sciences from Indiana University, some people are shopaholics because they are basically happy with how their brains feel when they shop. By shopping, their brains release endorphins (pleasure hormone) and dopamine (pleasure hormone), and over time, these feelings become very addictive. Engs claims that 10-15% of the population is likely to have experienced it.
The mindset of a shopaholic
According to Mark Banschick M.D., an alcoholic can abandon liquor, a gambler can stop betting, but a shopaholic feels compelled to shop. This is what makes shopaholic or oniomania referred to as a mental disorder that can damage a person.
As reported by verywell.com, here are some of the things that a true shopaholic has in mind:
1. Shopaholic will continue to try to be liked by others
According to research, a shopaholic usually has a more pleasant personality than non-shopaholic research subjects, which means they are kind, sympathetic, and not rude to others. Because they are often lonely and isolated, the shopping experience provides shopaholics with positive interactions with sellers and hopes that if they buy something they will improve their relationships with other people.
2. Shopaholic has low self-esteem
Low self-esteem is one of the most common characteristics found in studies of shopaholic personalities. According to shopaholics, shopping is a way to increase self-esteem, especially if the desired object is related to image (image) that the buyer wants to have. However, low self-esteem can also be a consequence of shopaholics, especially the large amount of debt they have can increase feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness.
3. Shopaholic has emotional problems
Shopaholics have a tendency to have emotional instability or mood swings. Research has also found that shopaholics also often suffer from anxiety and depression. Shopping is often used by them to repairmood, although only temporarily.
4. Shopaholic has difficulty controlling impulses
Impulses are natural, suddenly impelling you to do something that makes you feel the need to act. Most people find it fairly easy to control their impulses because they have learned to do so in childhood. On the other hand, shopaholics have excessive and uncontrollable impulses to shop.
5. Shopaholic always indulges fantasy
Shopaholic's ability to fantasize is usually stronger than that of other people. There are several ways in which fantasy reinforces the tendency to buy too much, i.e. shopaholics can fantasize about the thrill of shopping while engaging in other activities. They can imagine all the positive effects of buying the desired object, and they can escape into a fantasy world from the harsh realities of life.
6. Shopaholics tend to be materialistic
Research shows that shopaholics are more materialistic than other shoppers, yet they demonstrate an intricate love of possessions. Surprisingly, they have absolutely no interest in owning the things they buy and they have less incentive to acquire things than other people. That explains why shopaholics tend to buy things they don't need.
So, what shows that they are more materialistic than others? There are two other dimensions of materialism, envy and unkindness, and these are the weaknesses of shopaholics. They are much more jealous and less generous than other people. The surprising thing is that shopaholics give away what they buy to others just to "buy" love and improve social status, not as an act of generosity.
Short term and long term effects experienced by shopaholics
1. Short term effects
The short term effect experienced by shopaholics is that they will feel positive. In many cases, they may feel happy after they finish shopping, but that feeling is sometimes mixed with anxiety or guilt, which is what drives them to go back to shopping.
2. Long term effects
The long-term effects experienced by shopaholics may vary. Shopaholics tend to face financial problems, and they are also overwhelmed by debt. In some cases, they may only use their credit card to the maximum limit, but in other cases they may delay their mortgage and business credit card payments.
If you become a shopaholic, your personal relationships will suffer too. You may end up divorcing or alienating from family, relatives, and other loved ones.
