Sometimes we find ourselves buying a product we don't need, something similar at home, or something that has many alternatives. We buy the product without knowing when to use it, saying "Maybe we will need it one day, it will work". We usually don't need things that are received by thinking this way. However, this situation does not prevent us from taking it. So what drives us to buy things we don't need, the second, maybe the third, even though we have it?
Shopping addiction is an intense desire to buy and impulsive action in this direction. The person cannot control this desire and constantly shoppers through the direction of his impulses. The most important point that separates shopping addiction from shopping love; The person who likes shopping knows where to stop and then feels happy about the product he bought. In shopping addiction, on the other hand, a person cannot stop this behavior and what makes him happy is not the product he bought, but the purchasing situation. Therefore, once the shopping impulse has passed, there is often regret about the purchased product and behavior.
With the pandemic and online shopping, all the balances have changed. With the introduction of online shopping into our lives, there have been changes in shopping habits and the meanings we attribute to shopping. Shopping has now become an affair that can be handled from wherever we are, with a small screen and with two taps. Previously we had to allocate a certain amount of time for shopping, now it only takes a few minutes. Shopping is now easier than ever. This changed all the balances.
We witnessed the course of online shopping and shopping addiction during the clearest pandemic period. Millions of people devoted themselves to shopping in this period when we had to shut down to homes and lead an isolated life from everyone. The biggest reason for this; It was the intense anxiety we experienced and the fact that many things such as travel, sports, social activities were taken from our hands that gave us pleasure and made us relax and feel good. At this stage, online shopping emerged as an important relaxation tool.
With shopping during the pandemic period, many people tried to fill the emotional void they felt. It was aimed to deal with all the negative emotions such as anxiety and fear, and the problems encountered by taking something new. Just like shopping addiction. In shopping addiction, it is aimed to meet the emotional gap that the person feels in with the things purchased. In a way, shopping is a method of dealing with negative emotions that a person has difficulty coping with. By purchasing something, the person both relaxes and tries to eliminate the feeling of worthlessness that they feel inside.
Although purchasing something relaxes the person in the short term, it causes new problems in the long run. It causes the person to experience both financial difficulties and to feel bad again because of regret later. On the other hand, it may cause conflicts in relations with his immediate surroundings. Although shopping addiction is a difficult situation in itself, it can be overcome with the right moves.
Recommendations for preventing shopping addiction
Before you shop, prepare a list of needs and act in line with this list.
If you are going to shop somewhere you go, make sure to take as little money as possible. To help you, you can calculate an average amount according to the shopping list you have prepared in advance.
Going with someone who will stop you instead of going shopping alone will help you control your behavior.
When going shopping, take cash instead of credit card, if possible. Using cash will make you realize that you are spending money and help you control yourself.
When shopping online, avoid identifying your credit card on shopping sites. Identifying a card makes shopping easier, on the other hand, it gives the feeling of shopping without spending any money. This is also a very dangerous situation.
Most importantly, when your purchase impulse manifests itself, turn to other activities or pursuits that will distract you. Doing this will help you ease your impulse and take control of your behavior.
Of all the smart spending, I now firmly believe. It depends on knowing when to say enough and being perfectly satisfied with what you already have.
Despite everything, if you cannot control your shopping impulse and this situation has started to strain your life in many aspects, it is very important to get professional support.
It will be good for all of us to spend our money carefully in these difficult times.
We can be so impulsive at times because retail therapy seemed effective in easing our anxiety induced by the current situation. But yes, all in moderation. And a fix budget could really work