Compulsive buying is a repetitive, long-lasting buying behavior that primarily responds to adverse events and emotions. It is associated with craving and withdrawal and is characterized by euphoria and reduced negative emotions. Compulsory purchases can lead to large debts, legal problems, personal distress, and marital conflict. Empirical research demonstrates that compulsive buying behavior is associated with mental illness with depression, impulse control disorders, eating disorders, alcoholism, nicotine addiction, and anxiety.
The phrase "compulsive buying" refers to a pattern of constant, repetitive shopping that develops into a way of coping with unpleasant emotions and gives instant satisfaction, but eventually harms the buyer and/or other people. Similar to this, Edwards (1992) described it as a chronic, aberrant kind of shopping and spending that is marked by overwhelming, recurrent, uncontrolled cravings to buy.
Shopaholic desires are strong and accompanies intrusive thoughts of shopping. Also, it is felt as a persistent and repeated issue.
The cravings must be considered unpleasant, and the conduct must interfere with how the person lives their life to meet the criteria for this illness. For instance, Goldsmith and McElroy (2000) provide three requirements for a compulsive purchasing disorder diagnosis. They consist of the following −
Often obsessing about purchases or making purchases that are perceived as being extravagant, obtrusive, or pointless
These tendencies or actions considerably disrupt social or professional functioning, generate severe financial issues, and cause considerable distress.
Buying or purchasing does not just take place during manic or hysterical episodes.
These are −
Impulsive shoppers often buy impulsive things that they cannot live without. Moreover, they often try to hide their buying habits. Mindless spending can lead to more unopened items (shoe boxes or clothes) in their closet as they continue the buying cycle. Compulsive shoppers can become hoarders later as their products accumulate over time.
Impulsive shoppers experience extreme excitement when they make a purchase. Experiencing euphoria is not about owning something but buying it. This excitement is often felt when they see a desired item and consider buying it. Furthermore, that excitement can become addictive.
Compulsive shopping attempts to fill an emotional void, such as loneliness, lack of control, or lack of self-esteem. A negative mood, such as an argument or disappointment, often triggers a need to shop. However, decreasing negative emotions is only temporary and is replaced by increased anxiety or guilt.
After the purchase is a feeling of regret, they feel guilty and irresponsible when they buy things they perceive as pleasure. The result can be a vicious cycle in which a negative feeling prompts another "solution," which is to buy something else.
Cash payment is more complicated than credit card payment. The main psychological strength of credit cards is that they separate the joy of purchasing from the pain of paying. Credit cards encourage us to think about the positive aspects of a purchase. CBD is only prevalent in developed countries, where there is a credit system and a consumer culture.
The relationship between compulsive hoarding (CH) and CB has recently attracted increasing attention from researchers. Compulsory hoarding is described as acquiring many possessions but not getting rid of them, resulting in significant clutter that significantly affects an individual's living space and everyday activities. CH prevalence ranges from 2% to 6% in general community samples from developed Western countries, such as Germany and the United States. Only a few studies investigating CH behaviors and the prevalence of compulsive hoarding disorder have yet to be systematically investigated in China.
A study conducted in Germany with a large representative sample found that about two-thirds of CH participants also had CB, suggesting a strong link between these two compulsive behaviors. Hoarding-compulsive shoppers reported more severe buying symptoms and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. This could be explained by the fact that excessive or inappropriate attachment to objects is a defining feature of both CH and the collection process in CB.
Hoarders develop an excessive attachment to their things and do not want to throw them away, while avid shoppers desire to own something immediately and uncontrollably. This can also be seen as an inappropriate attachment style to objects. Therefore, the same individual may display CH and CB, and the desire to hoard may lead to CB to some extent.
Typical symptoms include −
Persistent thoughts about buying or owning a particular item
Thoroughly prepare for the shopping experience, including research and planning
Feeling extreme pleasure, relief, or excitement when making a purchase
Using shopping and purchasing as a way to deal with negative emotions or situations
Post-purchase guilt or remorse
Compulsive Buying is twofold −
Physical – Individuals purchase the brain chemicals needed to feel euphoric.
Psychological – the addict seeks to buy items to help him cope with life and experiences extreme anxiety without his addictive activity.
Shopping addiction involves a combination of compulsive or repetitive and impulsive or spontaneous behaviors. According to the 2012 review, the following can be signs or symptoms of a shopping addiction −
A preoccupation with shopping or spending money
Intrusive thoughts and urges before the shopping process
Buying items you cannot afford or buying items you do not need
Variations in mood during the shopping process, such as feeling relieved after spending money but then feeling guilt or frustration later on
Financial, school, or work problems as a result of spending too much money, as well as too much time dedicated to shopping behaviors
Strained interpersonal and family relationships
The inability to stop compulsive shopping behaviors, even if the affected person knows that it has adverse effects on their life
Shopping secretly (particularly online) can indicate shopping addiction, as people conceal their purchases out of guilt.
Signs that a person might have a shopping addiction include −
Always thinking about things they plan to purchase
Being unable to stop their compulsive shopping
Experiencing a rush of euphoria after buying something
Feeling regret or guilt about things they have purchased
Financial problems or an inability to pay off debts
Lying about things they have bought or hiding their purchases
Opening new credit cards without paying off balances on existing cards
Purchasing things they do not need
Shopping when they are stressed or sad
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.
CBD is characterized by obsessions about buying and buying behavior that leads to harmful consequences. What distinguishes CBD from sane purchases is its compulsive, destructive, and chronic nature. While shopping can be a positive way to express yourself, in excess, it poses a dangerous threat. Compulsive shopping disorder is closely associated with an excessive urge or mismanagement to buy items and spend money of any kind; digital, mobile, credit, or cash. Four stages have been identified in compulsive buying behavior −
The first stage involves a preoccupation with buying a particular item or shopping in general. In the second stage, the individual plans a shopping tour. The third stage is the commercial event itself, while the fourth stage is completed by the excitement associated with spending money on desired items. The terms compulsive, compulsive, and compulsive expenditures are often used interchangeably, but their behaviors are distinct.
You can buy without shopping and certainly shop without buying: among compulsive shoppers, about 30% describe the act of shopping as creating a buzz on its own, regardless of purchase. In addition, pressure due to the spread of materialistic values and consumer culture in recent decades may cause people to purchase compulsively. Companies have adopted positive neuromarketing by associating high social status with purchasing items.
The consequences of compulsive shopping, which can last long after a binge, can be devastating and stress marriages, long-term relationships, and jobs. Other problems can include damaged credit history, theft or embezzlement of money, past due debts, general financial problems, and in some cases, bankruptcy or mounting debt, such as anxiety and a feeling that life is out of control. The resulting stress can lead to physical illnesses, health problems, ruined relationships, and even suicide
Compulsive buying is characterized by perceived overbought and buying behavior that leads to distress or impairment. A proposed theoretical framework conceptualizes compulsive purchases based on: (a) depressed mood; (b) compromised self-perception and perfectionist expectations; (c) erroneous beliefs about the nature of the item, purchase potential and purchase opportunity; (d) false beliefs about the psychological benefits of purchase; and difficulty in decision making.
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics
Economics
Psychology
Environmental Science
Social Studies
Fashion Studies
English