Managing Shopping Addiction during the Holiday Shopping Season

The sales and specials offered over the holiday season are a huge temptation to go overboard with spending. This is an even bigger problem to avoid for someone struggling with a shopping addiction.
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Why Should I Get Help for Shopping Addiction?

An addiction to shopping is serious and may lead to other psychological issues. If left untreated shopping addiction can lead to financial ruin, legal problems, the destruction of important relationships and the development of other compulsions. Many people end up turning to substance abuse as a way of self-medicating the emotional pain and shame their shopping addiction has caused.
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Is Shopping Addiction an Actual Addiction?

Certain behaviors such as thrill-seeking, sex or shopping can become every bit as controlling and destructive as chemical dependency. On a bio-chemical level these compulsive behaviors function in the exact same way as addiction to drugs or alcohol.
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Hoarding and Addiction Help

With all of the television shows that are devoted to showcasing hoarding and those who are struggling with this form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), it can seem like this disorder is a form of entertainment and should not be taken seriously. The problem with reality television shows is that they can make light of a serious situation. Hoarding requires specific treatment that addresses the OCD and addiction elements of this disease.
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Is Shopping Addiction a Real Problem?

Addiction occurs when a person cannot stop engaging in a behavior that has negative impact on his or her life. Shopping is a potentially addictive behavior that can create real problems. Addiction may be present in an individual who demonstrates any combination of following symptoms:

• Preoccupation
• Tolerance
• Withdrawal symptoms

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The Difference between Kleptomania and Shoplifting Addiction

Each year, thousands of people shoplift in the United States. Every person who shoplifts does so for different reasons such as the following:

• Personal profit
• Kleptomania
• Shoplifting addiction
• To support a drug or alcohol addiction

If you or someone you love has a problem with shoplifting, there is treatment available. Learn more about shoplifting addiction and kleptomania and find addiction help today.
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Strategies to End Shopping Addiction

For many people, shopping means new clothes for work or maybe odds and ends for the house. However, shopping takes on an entirely different meaning for others. It can become as destructive as any other addiction types and result in a financial nightmare for the shopper and family alike. This is referred to as compulsive spending or compulsive shopping.
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Online Shopping Addiction

For many people, shopping is a relatively normal activity of daily life that you give little thought to. For others, however, shopping takes on an entirely different meaning. It can become as destructive as any other addiction types and result in a financial nightmare for the shopper and family alike. This is referred to as shopping addiction or compulsive shopping.

The Internet, quite similar to shopping, is a relative normal activity in most people’s daily life. However the rise of the Internet has increased the ability for consumers to shop in more locations, shop for longer periods of time and purchase more items with ease.
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Men and Shopping Addiction

A recent study of shopping behavior, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, has revealed that as many as 1 in 20 Americans suffers from compulsive buying. The surprising discovery is that men are almost as likely to be compulsive shoppers.

This type of addiction is a compulsive behavior that interferes with an individuals life to the extent that a shopaholic may lie about their shopping addiction. They may be in extreme debt, unable to control their shopping, and experience the same symptoms as other addictive behaviors such as an compulsive gambling addiction, alcohol or drugs. The traditional view of compulsive spending is of women suffering from this addiction. This probably is the result of most studies being done mainly on women. Women are also more likely to admit to compulsive shopping than men. (more…)

Effects of Shopping Addiction

Compulsive shopping is an addiction type with shopping that significantly interferes with the functioning of the individual. The signs are a preoccupation with shopping, anxiety when not shopping, a constant need for a shopping “fix,” shopping to excess that results in debt and family or marital discord, and the frequent purchase of items that go unused. (more…)