There’s not a single known cause of shopping addiction, but there may be several contributing factors.
While the developers of the DSM-5 have chosen not to include shopping addiction, the 2014 review notes that some of the symptoms of craving and withdrawal some people experience could be similar to other addictions. “Shopping can act as a distraction from unpleasant emotions,” explains Schiff. She adds that addiction involves both physical and psychological factors. Physically, the brain chemicals released during shopping can give people a “high,” she explains, while psychologically, people may shop for things to help them cope with stress or feel a sense of control.
“Stress and anxiety are the most significant underlying causes of shopping addiction,” adds Sehat. Many people turn to gratifying behaviors as coping mechanisms, she says. “The endorphins released make the individual feel happy and less stressed.”
The aforementioned 2021 statement from the APA suggestedthat there’s evidence that social isolation and stress may increase the risk of developing a shopping addiction. These dynamics could have been at play while many people spent more time at home, carrying extra stressors, and in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic — and could have plausibly caused an increase in these types of behaviors. The authors of the paper noted, however, that this is just a theory, and currently there’s no hard evidence to say one way or the other that this happened.
Certain environmental risk factors have also been found to put people at a higher risk of developing shopping addiction. For example, having a higher income or having credit cards may make compulsive buying more accessible. Changes in your personal environment, such as a divorce, or moving away from your loved ones, could also influence emotionally driven compulsive buying, as some people report shopping to alleviate feelings of loneliness, helplessness, or guilt.
The 2012 review has also suggested that shopping addiction may coincide with mental health conditions involving impulsivity and compulsiveness, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and binge-eating disorder. It may also be linked with affective disorders, such as depression.
Other researchnoted that shopping addiction tends to run in families, particularly families living with mood, anxiety, or substance use disorders.
But having any of the above mental health conditions doesn’t mean you will automatically develop a shopping addiction, and vice-versa.
FAQs
Shopping addiction occurs when someone feels an overwhelming desire to buy stuff, even when doing so negatively impacts their lives. Individuals with this addiction experience difficulty controlling their spending habits, frequently buying unnecessary items to relieve anxiety or achieve temporary satisfaction.
What is the cause of shopping addiction? ›
Many people develop an addiction as a way to cope with their emotions. This is the same for people 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.
What is the clinical diagnosis for shopaholic? ›
Compulsive buying disorder is the maladaptive preoccupation with buying/shopping, or excessive buying/shopping that does not occur exclusively during periods of hypomania or mania.
Who is most likely to have a shopping addiction? ›
Common risk factors for shopping addiction include:
Past substance abuse. Co-occurring mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, mood disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding disorders, and impulse control disorders.
Why can't I stop shopping? ›
The shopaholic is often entirely rational. They shop for a reason – it fulfills a need, so they keep doing it. So the first step in halting compulsive shopping is to identify the psychological need driving it. Does the shopping provide pleasure or does it help you avoid pain?
What is diagnosis shopping? ›
A doctor shopper will visit multiple health care providers as a "new patient" or "visiting from out of town," and will exaggerate or feign medical problems to obtain prescription medications or a wanted medical opinion, diagnosis or treatment with no specific material gain.
What are the effects of being a shopaholic? ›
The negative effects of shopping addiction include financial difficulties, exacerbation of mental health issues, hiding one's behavior, strained relationships, and potential legal issues.
What is the condition of a shopaholic? ›
People who struggle with shopping addiction typically spend more time and money on shopping than they can afford, and many get into financial problems as a result of their overspending.
What mental illness causes impulsive spending? ›
Some professionals classify compulsive buying as an obsessive compulsive disorder, while others liken it to an impulse control disorder [12]. Therefore, there is no one specific treatment for compulsive buying. Treatment for compulsive buying is determined by a provider after consulting with an individual.
Do narcissists have shopping addictions? ›
It is expressed that materialism, which is considered a result of narcissism, triggers shopping addiction. It is mentioned that narcissistic individuals' impulsivity and tendency to prefer short-term gains to long-term losses also affect the process.
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.
Is compulsive shopping a mental disorder? ›
Some professionals classify compulsive buying as an obsessive compulsive disorder, while others liken it to an impulse control disorder [12]. Therefore, there is no one specific treatment for compulsive buying. Treatment for compulsive buying is determined by a provider after consulting with an individual.
Why do I want to buy so many things? ›
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.
Is overspending a mental disorder? ›
Brad Klontz, a doctor of Psychology at Kansas State University identifies eight different money disorder patterns: Pathological Gambling: reoccurring gambling behaviors. Overspending and Compulsive Buying Disorder: overbearing need to buy things.
What do you call a person who shops a lot? ›
a person who enjoys shopping very much and does it a lot: A self-confessed shopaholic, Diane loved looking for new clothes with her two daughters. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.
