Shopping addiction is described as an obsession and compulsion to shop, buy, or spend money, regardless of financial means or whether there is a need for the purchased items or services.
Features may include:
- Compulsive engagement in excessive shopping, buying, or spending, with mental obsession
- Urges or craving to shop, buy, or spend
- Need to shop, buy, or spend more to achieve the desired effect
- Shops, buys, or spends when feeling distressed and/or to avoid feelings (e.g., sad, anxious, jealous)
- Continuing to shop, buy, or spend despite negative consequences (e.g., health or relationship issues)
- Loss of control over shopping, buying, or spending with failed attempts to cut down
- Withdrawal symptoms (e.g., restlessness, irritability, or anger) when unable to shop, buy, or spend.
Diagnostic Considerations:
Clinicians treat people who describe their experience as “shopping addiction,” though it is not yet included in the national and international diagnostic manuals. When the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was last revised, there was not sufficient research to include the subcategory of “shopping addiction” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 481), though lay persons use these terms, and the afflicted are seen by clinicians. It is not unusual that client issues and clinical work precede research. Time lags in research are estimated to be between 15-20 years (Slote Morris, Wooding, & Grant, 2011). Knowledge will continue to evolve through outcomes of research.
In the coding tool for the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11; World Health Organization, 2018) compulsive buying-shopping disorder is identified as an example of other specified impulse-control disorders. These are characterized by the inability to resist cravings to participate in a rewarding activity, continuing the behavior despite negative consequences, and distress or impairment due to the behavior.
Shopping addiction often co-occurs with adjustment disorders, depression, anxiety, gambling, eating disorders, hoarding, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar, borderline personality, or obsessive-compulsive disorders. When applicable, counselors often diagnose these other disorders.
Treatment:
Treatment for shopping addiction varies dependent on factors including co-occurring disorders. Common psychotherapeutic approaches support emotion regulation enhancement, coping, calming, and communication skills, self-esteem, relationships, conscious awareness of finances, appropriate responses to physical and psychological cues such as triggers to shop, and a new relationship with shopping, buying, and spending activities.
References:
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Author.
Slote Morris, Z., Wooding, S., & Grant, J. (2011). The answer is 17 years, what is the question: Understanding time lags in translational research. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 104, 510–520. https://doi.org/10.1258/jrsm.2...
World Health Organization. (2019). International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems (11th ed.). https://icd.who.int/