Are you stress shopping? - Healthbiztips

Are you stress shopping?

Have you ever bought something you don't really need just so it will improve your mood? If so, then you are doing retail therapy. 

However, retail therapy is not a legitimate therapy. While stress shopping does improve the mood of a person, it is not constructive and can backfire.

Are you stress shopping? - Healthbiztips
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@healthbiztips by Arlene Gentallan

Stress shopping is a lot more common than you think. When we are under stress, we become vulnerable. Chances are, you may have unconsciously done it yourself.

You may have found yourself buying a treat like sweets or a new shoes at the end of a long busy week or during times when you are feeling down. It's usually a harmless source of euphoria.

Stress shopping is not all that bad considering that the positive effect it has over a person's mood is real. However, when finances gets depleted, it's a serious problem.

Women, especially teenagers, are more prone than men to engage in retail therapy. Studies shows that women tend to buy clothes when they are stress shopping, as opposed to men who tend to buy food.

Of course food and clothing are basic commodities, but when purchases becomes too many, too much, and unreasonable, it doesn't take long to realize that there is an underlying psychological problem.

One can find herself buying material stuffs or food just so it will improve her mood during highly stressful periods in her life. It is worth noting that stress shopping is usually as short lived shopping compulsion lasting only for the duration of the stressful event.

However, when purchasing unnecessary stuffs becomes a long-standing problem or has lead to addiction, then it can can be a sign of compulsive buying disorder  in which the individual looses control over her purchases.

Buying something out of compulsion can have severe percussion to the financial resources of a person which can potentially be a cause of further harm to the person's emotional and mental well-being. Compulsive buying disorder is a mental disorder that can be treated so it is crucial to seek psychological treatment.

When finances becomes depleted and debt starts to pile high, it can aggravate stress, lead to depression.