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ARE YOU A COMPULSIVE SPENDER OR SHOPPER?
 
 
 

Ask yourself the following questions:

· Do you shop as a result of being disappointed, angry or scared
· Are your shopping/spending habits causing emotional distress or chaos in your life?
· Do you have arguments with others regarding your shopping or spending habits?
· Do you feel lost without credit cards?
· Do you buy items on credit that you would not buy with cash?
· Does shopping give you a feeling of euphoria and anxiety at the same time?
· Does spending or shopping feel like a reckless or forbidden act?
· Do you feel guilty, ashamed, embarrassed or confused after shopping or spending money?
· Are many of your purchases never used?
· Do you lie to others about what was bought or how much money was spent?
· Do you think excessively about money?
· Do you spend a lot of time juggling accounts and bills to accommodate spending?
 

Four or more positive answers to the above questions indicates a problem with shopping or spending

We are bombarded daily by a tantalizing array of items for sale.  Everyone is exposed to alluring store windows, display cases, billboards, direct mail catalogs, advertising flyers, and newspaper, magazine and television ads that entice us to buy.  Advertisers are handsomely rewarded for creating passionate relationships between consumers and goods--for creating trends and promoting new products until they become "necessities."  Even the most sophisticated consumers, free of compulsion, can be seduced by the skillful manipulation of words and images by brilliant advertising executives.

Most people develop a resistance to the momentary appeal of excessive buying.  Purchases are weighed with a keen sense of budget and need.  Yet for too many others, spending is not just a fleeting temptation:  it dominates their consciousness and their lives.  Shopping is neither practical nor joyful.  It is a compulsion that pilots them into bouts of frenetic shopping and reckless spending.

The compulsive debtor escapes the pressure of today's debts with the quick fix of another loan or another bad check--only to dig in deeper each time.

At thirty-five, Barbara, a waitress, is $32,000.00 in debt from credit cards, loans, and store credit.  Barbara operates under the illusion that as long as she still has credit, or can punch her card into the magic money machine (ATM) and get a fix, she's not broke.  She pays only the minimum on each account but soon will be unable to do even that.  At this point, she's exhausted all credit lines and is starting to be harassed by her creditors.

Who's at risk?

The urge to spend has been closely linked to feelings of low self-esteem and insecurity.  For some people, acquiring possessions seems to soothe painful feelings.  The individual's self-confidence is tied to the act of buying.  By surrounding oneself with lavish purchases to make up for an inadequacy, the spender hopes to find fulfillment and release.  But, as with other addictions, the "high" soon wears off and the compulsion remains.

Spending sprees may be triggered by boredom, loneliness, or depression.  Some splurges are precipitated by breakups or arguments between spouses or lovers.  Some compulsive spenders go out and buy regardless of their moods:  others will buy only when they feel exuberant and want to celebrate.

This information is provided as a community education service about professional issues and is not a substitute for individual consultation.  Advice on individual problems should be obtained through a professional.  All personal and medical information provided to Family and Community Services of Somerset County and it's staff is held in strict confidence.  This information will not be disclosed to any person or organization without the written consent of the patient or guardian.