A closet full of clothes still unused, parts and products purchased unnecessarily, and the feeling of immediate pleasure that disappears days after the purchase were the signs that made the journalist Flávia Vargas, 44, realize that she was buying out of compulsion.
“I started having a shopping compulsion during the pandemic. At the beginning of social isolation, I discovered two sales apps and kept buying. It gave a feeling of pleasure, of compensation for the anxiety of the moment. Shopping has become unmanageable. My closet was full, even with clothes I haven’t worn yet”, he says.
Even with the relaxation of isolation measures and the opening of commerce, it continued to buy through apps. “They offer so many attractions that it became a habit to go into them every day, even if it was just to take a look and favorite the pieces I liked the most. I didn’t get into debt, but the expenses greatly affected my budget control and my cash flow, and I was always quite ruled with money.”
According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), about 8% of the world population suffers from oniomania, compulsive shopping, also called compulsive consumerism and Compulsive Shopping Disorder (CBD).
The pathology is responsible for the turnover of more than US$4 billion in North America. Between 80% and 94% of compulsive shoppers are women, whose disorder usually appears around the age of 18, showed research published in Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry.
For psychiatrist Adiel Rios, the social isolation imposed by the covid-19 pandemic contributed to the increase in the number of cases of this disorder.
“With the doors closed, many stores migrated to e-commerce and those who were already operating in this model, reinforced their performance in online sales. And national and international network applications are a big trap for compulsive shoppers: they provide discount coupons, points for every purchase made, which are converted into discounts for new purchases, among other attractions. For those who have the disorder, it ended up being an easy way to buy it, and in an uncontrolled way”, details the doctor who works in the Bipolar Disorder Program of the Psychiatry Institute of the Hospital das Clínicas of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (USP) .
According to him, even with the opening of commerce, the compulsive shopper continues to use the tools available in the online environment, as he just needs to pick up his cell phone, enter the application and buy whatever he wants, anytime and anywhere.
“The only way to break this vicious cycle would be to rationally use or even move away from these applications. As long as they are available on cell phones, it will be very difficult to prevent compulsive shopping, especially if the person is anxious, needing to fill a void or fill a need,” says Rios, a researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry at the USP Faculty of Medicine.
When she realized that there was something behind the compulsion for shopping, Flávia sought specialized medical help and, today, she is being monitored by a psychiatrist and psychologist. “I was diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder. These pictures generated in me symptoms such as anxiety and impulsive behavior. I’m being treated with antidepressants and lithium, which helps to contain compulsions, as well as psychological support.”
In addition to medication, the journalist has sought to follow the guidelines of specialists in relation to everyday behavior. “When I’m on my cell phone, I avoid accessing the apps [de compras], something that was impossible before the treatment. At the time, I simply looked at the pieces, liked them and bought them. Today, the few times I go in and I like something, I can think more rationally and ask myself: do I really need this?”.
year-end shopping
With the end of the year approaching, when there is a greater appeal for shopping due to Christmas and the Christmas bonus, the psychiatrist says that there are chances that the habit of compulsively acquiring will intensify. In addition, with commerce open for extended hours and without restrictions, the channels for purchasing products are increased.
“From the moment the compulsive shopper plunged into online sales during the pandemic, it will be difficult for him to abandon the habit that has become his isolation valve. With the reopening, the person goes back to shopping on the street (when they go out) and also on their cell phone (when they are at home). In other words, there was never wasted time, as the compulsive did not stop buying. In a way, this discovery by online shopping during isolation intensified the compulsion.”
For Flávia, who is undergoing treatment, the strategy to control herself has already been outlined: she will only buy presents for her family. “I don’t even have the courage to buy anything for myself right now. I also don’t feel entitled to spend it on myself, after so many unnecessary purchases I made. In fact, I’ve already set aside a lot of clothes to donate for Christmas. The return to reality made me see again that there are people who really need a lot more than I do.”
associated disorders
Compulsive shopper families are more likely to develop other disorders such as mood, chemical dependency and eating disorders. “Furthermore, there is a very close relationship between oniomania and obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder. The sum of these pathologies with the distortions on the act of consumption motivates the compulsive shopper to develop a supposed security through purchases”.
When not consuming for long periods, the person who has a shopping compulsion can also suffer from withdrawal symptoms with symptoms similar to those of addiction to chemical substances: extreme irritability, loss of self-esteem, symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety and mood swings.
The psychiatrist still sees other signs of the disease:
– Financial lack of control: In addition to the “virtual traps”, consumption gained attractiveness through greater payment facilities or various one-off offers. “Today, there are several ways for a compulsive shopper to get involved financially, whether by paying the minimum on a credit card, adhering to an overdraft or hiring installment plans.”
– Hidden purchases: For the individual with oniomania, buying without anyone knowing and hiding items at home are already part of the purchase process. “Because it is considered a socially reprehensible posture, the fear of censorship and judgment explain the behavior of nurturing the compulsion in secret”, says Adiel Rios.
– Parts repeated, forgotten or never used: the person buys items without trying or practically the same, because he doesn’t even remember what he has in the closet. “At a given moment, the individual doesn’t even have space to store so much and ends up piling everything in the back of the wardrobe, being forgotten there”, completes the psychiatrist.
– Feeling of guilt after a purchase: as in other disorders, after making a purchase and experiencing the feeling of pleasure, there is later the feeling of guilt and suffering. “When that well-being ends, there is a feeling of impotence in the face of uncontrolled purchases. Therefore, the pleasure-grief cycle arises, as a consequence of the distorted view of the purpose of consumption in our lives”.
– Familial and genetic origins: there are no defined studies proving the causes of the disease, but the medical literature links the disorder to some factors. “One of them is associated with the behavioral history of the individual’s family”, says the expert.
Treatment
According to the psychiatrist, there are numerous therapeutic approaches capable of helping those who suffer from this disorder.
“The treatments include monitoring with drugs, such as anxiolytics and antidepressants, psychotherapies and even consulting with a specialist in personal finance. The treatments aim to give a new meaning to the gratification-reward relationship, showing that there are other ways to deal with pain and much healthier ways to obtain well-being and pleasure in life”.
There are also support groups, such as the Debtors Anonymous, where other compulsives share their experiences.
Control of expenses
In the opinion of financial educator Lorelay Lopes, for consumers with or without compulsion to buy, the rule is simple: a well-structured budget. “When you have, at the end of your pencil, all your bills, including small expenses, you start to have a clear idea of how much you can still spend. The problem is not buying that shoe that will only match a dress in your wardrobe. Not even that pineapple peeler that will do the job of any other knife already available in the kitchen drawer. The problem is to spend without having a free budget to pay.”
Anyone who has a shopping compulsion lives with guilt every day. “A budget well done eliminates this feeling once you are sure that all purchases were made consciously. If the budget allows, it’s okay to spend. Of course, this budget also has to include your long-term investments, after all, nobody lives only on the present. Not thinking about the future will also take away that feeling of tranquility when laying your head on your pillow at night.”
The educator lists practical tips for running away from impulse shopping:
– Make a well-prepared budget: inputs, fixed expenses, variable expenses and investment;
– From the budget, create spending ceilings in categories: clothing, technology, delivery, etc. “If I can spend R$200 on clothing, I’ll make better choices”, points out Lorelay;
– Do not buy counting the installments, but the total purchase;
– Analyze if you already have something that fulfills the same function as that purchase. “For example, a white sneaker, if I already have one and I’m buying another just because of the promotion or because I think it’s prettier than what I already have. Are you going to abandon current tennis? Does he already deserve to be abandoned? These questions help in thinking about the purchase”, says the educator.
– Think about the environmental impact of your purchase: am I going to throw something in the trash from this new item? If yes, is this purchase really necessary?
– Balance quantity and quality: how many jeans do I need? How many dinner sets? How often will it be used?
“Understand that the more we consume, the more we become hostages to organizing and maintaining it all. Buying gives us immediate pleasure, but saying no to impulse gives us even greater pleasure. Believe me: everything that involves discipline releases a hormonal charge of happiness and fulfillment that is much more lasting than the momentary pleasure of the purchase”, concludes Lorelay.
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