Why do I buy stuff I don't need?
People buy things they don't need all of the time because people enjoy spending money. They enjoy the freedom of buying more and having more than they need. People like indulging themselves. It's great to be able to focus on having more than struggling and doing without.
We seek to recover from loss, loneliness, or heartache by purchasing unnecessary items. We seek fulfillment in material things. And we try to impress other people with the things that we own rather than the people that we are. But these pursuits will never fully satisfy our deficiencies.
Compulsive buying disorder. CBD is similar to, but distinguished from, OCD hoarding and mania. Compulsive buying is not limited to people who spend beyond their means; it also includes people who spend an inordinate amount of time shopping or who chronically think about buying things but never purchase them.
Generally, people buy unnecessary items because they are unhappy in their own lives. Often, people equate their self-worth with the items that they buy and obsess over being trendy or impressing other people.
Shopping to Feel Better
For most of us, spending money on impulse just because we want it now is the problem. We see something and buy it before we think about what's in the checking account (or before considering our financial goals, for that matter). Instant gratification isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Compulsive buying disorder (CBD) is characterized by excessive shopping cognitions and buying behavior that leads to distress or impairment. Found worldwide, the disorder has a lifetime prevalence of 5.8% in the US general population.
Many human behaviors are driven by reward. Purchasing a new gadget or item of clothing triggers a surge of dopamine, which creates pleasurable feelings. Though the glow of a new purchase may not last long, the desire to once again be rewarded with a burst of dopamine drives us to buy more.
Some experts have classified compulsive shopping as obsessive-compulsive behavior in the past, but it is now thought to be more closely tied to behavioral addictions or impulse control issues. Still, there are several ways that out-of-control spending can be linked to OCD.
It is a way to ease distress or enjoy doing and having something different. Retail therapy may activate neurotransmitters such as dopamine and endorphins that improve your mood. However, it is easy to get hooked on the rush that comes with shopping for new items.
People who engage in compulsive spending tend to use it as a coping mechanism. When faced with uncomfortable feelings like anxiety and depression they will feel the need to go shopping. In this case, spending money provides a brief reprieve from negative emotions.
What is money dysmorphia?
You've probably heard of body dysmorphia and its effects, but money dysmorphia is a distorted view of money that could cause you to make poor financial decisions, according to Jeff McDermott, a financial advisor with Create Wealth.
Preoccupation with Money or Hoarding
People with OCD can appear to be miserly with their money, as this is one area of life over which control is possible. A person with OCD might count their money or check in their wallet repeatedly. Some people with OCD also begin hoarding free items to save money.
Everyone worries about money from time to time, but financial anxiety is different. Financial anxiety is an obsessive fear of things related to money that can often be debilitating. Financial anxiety can be triggered by any number of things, not just a lack of money.
People with ADHD are less sensitive to dopamine, so some tend to do things that might be risky or excessive—say, buying a pricey item they can't stop thinking about—in order to boost its production.
Some professionals classify compulsive buying as an obsessive compulsive disorder, while others liken it to an impulse control disorder [12].
Compulsive buying behavior (CBB), otherwise known as shopping addiction, pathological buying or compulsive buying disorder, is a mental health condition characterized by the persistent, excessive, impulsive, and uncontrollable purchase of products in spite of severe psychological, social, occupational, financial ...
These reactive purchases have become known as the Diderot Effect. The Diderot Effect states that obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption which leads you to acquire more new things. As a result, we end up buying things that our previous selves never needed to feel happy or fulfilled.
If you're feeling low or depressed, you may lack motivation to manage your finances. It might not feel worth trying. Spending may give you a brief high, so you might overspend to feel better.
These reactive purchases have become known as the Diderot Effect. The Diderot Effect states that obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption which leads you to acquire more new things. As a result, we end up buying things that our previous selves never needed to feel happy or fulfilled.
Compulsive shopping is an attempt to fill an emotional void, like loneliness, lack of control, or lack of self-esteem. Often, a negative mood, such as an argument or frustration triggers an urge to shop.
Do I have OCPD?
What are the symptoms of OCPD? The main sign of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is a pervasive preoccupation (obsession) with order, perfectionism, control and specific ways of doing things. These behaviors make it difficult to complete tasks and cause issues with relationships.
- Fear of contamination or dirt.
- Doubting and having a hard time dealing with uncertainty.
- Needing things to be orderly and balanced.
- Aggressive or horrific thoughts about losing control and harming yourself or others.
- Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious subjects.
Many people develop an addiction as a way to cope with their emotions. This is the same for those with a shopping addiction. Compulsive shopping and spending may be a way for you to avoid or mask negative and uncomfortable feelings such as sadness, boredom, stress and anxiety.
When you're stressed, spending money on something (no matter what it is) provides some sort of relief. The act of purchasing something boosts your mood and gives you comfort. Hence the phrase “retail therapy.” But this relief is short-lived, Wright explains.
Research has shown that making shopping decisions can help reinforce a sense of personal control over our environment. It can also ease feelings of sadness. A 2014 study from the Journal of Consumer Psychology found that retail therapy not only makes people happier immediately, but it can also fight lingering sadness.
