In recent years, shopaholics are gradually regarded as a mental illness, and some psychologists try to control shopaholics' buying habits with drugs.
The so-called "shopaholic" is a morbid possessive desire for goods. When they are faced with a dazzling array of goods, even goods that are useless to them or are repeatedly purchased, they will pay for them without thinking. They go to the supermarket at both ends of the day, and even if they don't buy a few things a day, they feel jammed.
Many psychologists think it is necessary to remind the public of this psychological deviation. Most of the items that women with this symptom are keen to buy are related to their appearance decoration, such as clothing, shoes and socks, cosmetics, gold and silver jewelry and so on. They pay more attention to the process of shopping, rather than the result of shopping. The potential reasons are mostly the lack of self-esteem and self-confidence and inner emptiness, so they have to make up for it by shopping.
The main reasons for inducing "shopaholism"
1, shopaholics are mainly lonely, physically and mentally damaged or self-deprecating, trying to fill their inner emptiness by shopping crazily. Modern credit card settlement has contributed to the development of the disease, because patients can no longer find out in time that their wallets have already been emptied.
2. Shopping spree is related to their emotional fragility, fantasy and romance, what's more, some goods are symbolic to show women's charm. Therefore, they often buy some goods needed for social activities, such as clothes, cosmetics and accessories.
3. The advertisements set in the shopping hall and the sound of the pictures played have a strong sensory impact, and women often can't stand these temptations.
4. Wrong concept orientation, such as "shopping is enjoyment" and "shopping is good for health", even promoting shopping as a diversion way to treat mental illness and depression, subconsciously aggravating practical attempts.
5. Lack of healthy channels to release stress. Because women rarely participate in sports activities, smoking and drinking, and the channels for psychological compensation and venting are narrow, shopping is often the best way for them to balance their emotions, relieve their pressure and vent their emotions.
Psychologists have analyzed that the shopping habits of shopaholics are actually related to her superior family environment, and she can't arrange her own economy when she first works. Her performance can better represent the shopping psychology of most consumers: she loves famous brands and discounts, but she doesn't necessarily buy something that suits her, and she often regrets it afterwards.
Psychological factors that promote the expansion of shopping desire are: excessive pressure, accelerated pace of modern workplace work, and many people feel great pressure. Every step of job change is easy to cause great psychological pressure on people, and shopping has become one of the ways for women to release pressure. Many people can vent their pressure in time when shopping when they are in a bad mood; Go shopping when you are in a good mood, because you feel happy when you buy something you like. This is also to release and transfer stress through shopping and play a positive role in emotional regulation.
In addition, the emptiness of life is also easy to cause the expansion of shopping desire. Some people lack communication, various other hobbies and social activities, even though they have no worries about food and clothing. Shopping often becomes their pursuit. When the shopping process is over, the pursuit usually stops, but piles of goods rarely really apply.
Then there is vanity and conformity. Fashion, trends and other active elements determine that many commodities are updated faster and faster. Influenced by various concepts of "luxury consumption" and "brand consumption", consumers are more likely to stop shopping.
Psychologists believe that although many shoppers think that "shopping can really bring happiness", whether it is to release pressure, kill time or relieve loneliness, consumption shopping is not the fundamental way. Establishing reliable interpersonal relationships, doing moderate exercise, broadening horizons and turning unnecessary consumption into public investment, such as participating in charitable donations and public welfare activities, will make psychological satisfaction more positive and lasting.
Overcoming shopaholism: changing lifestyle
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After trauma, shopping and overeating are destructive behaviors, paralyzing people's minds, damaging people's health and normal lifestyle, and finally aggravating people's stress and forming a vicious circle of psychological imbalance.
So, what should I do if I encounter a trauma that is difficult to overcome at once? There is a rule in psychology that people's behavior must be changed first, and then their cognition will be adjusted accordingly. For example, you can use sports instead of shopping. When a person adjusts her schedule in order to achieve a certain goal, she is changing her lifestyle into a healthy and rhythmic lifestyle, and a healthy lifestyle can help her cope with the immediate crisis and form a virtuous circle. Of course, in any case, the contradiction we have to face is inevitable in the end, otherwise the pain will only get deeper and deeper. On the premise that the conditions are ripe and there will be no psychological collapse, you can try to face the problem directly. If you encounter serious adaptation obstacles, you can also ask friends or professionals for help.
Many psychologists think it is necessary to remind the public of this psychological deviation. Most of the items that women with this symptom are keen to buy are related to their appearance decoration, such as clothing, shoes and socks, cosmetics, gold and silver jewelry and so on. They pay more attention to the shopping process than the shopping results. Most of the potential reasons are lack of self-esteem and self-confidence, which have to be filled by shopping.
How to control your shopping desire and spend more rationally? Psychologists believe that it will be more effective to change the shopping mode and gradually control your shopping desire from the behavior.
Many people who are addicted to shopping will regret it later, so we should develop the habit of "planning" before shopping, list the items we need when there is no discount or leisure time, develop the habit of keeping accounts, insist on recording the expenditure amount of large items or large consumption, and reduce blind expenditure. It is necessary to arrange the shopping time on the schedule and limit it to a rough time, so as to avoid the shopping surplus caused by long selection time and wide range.
Many people who love shopping have the habit of using credit cards, and indulging in overdraft credit cards is not conducive to developing a reasonable consumption concept. It is suggested that people who are addicted to shopping use cash to pay, so that they can know their spending quota more clearly and control their buying behavior.
It should be reminded that some people not only consume too much, but also feel too high when they consume, and the number of unreasonable consumption is increasing. This may be an insurmountable difficulty in reality, and they avoid this problem by shopping. If such a "shopaholic" talks a lot and is particularly cheerful at the same time, then he is likely to be depressed or manic and needs professional psychological examination.
Experts remind: if a person goes shopping wildly without restraint and exceeds a certain limit, it will change from creating happiness to creating pain. To correct excessive shopping desire, we need to strengthen the cultivation of psychological quality and strive to maintain a normal mentality, so that this psychological obstacle can be alleviated or eliminated.
Consultation on five types of shopaholics
A. indecision-"I am always dissatisfied with what I buy.
Patient self-report:
"I don't like shopping alone. I must be accompanied by friends or sisters. I always spend half an hour thinking in front of a container: which silk shirt should I choose, Bordeaux or Burgundy? Buy boots with flat heels or high heels? I kept thinking about this question until the salesgirl and my friends around me were fed up and lost patience. I had to hesitate and make a decision with great concern. And I regretted my choice almost before I set foot in the house. So, I usually go back to the store and change it for another one ... but the result will still make me dissatisfied: maybe it's worse than choosing it for the first time? If only I could try each sample for 48 hours before deciding to pay. " (Clemens, 38)
Psychologist analysis:
"Clemens' almost constant dissatisfaction stems from her inner' perfect complex syndrome': she always wants to find a dress that exists only for her. She dreams of a dress that can satisfy all her ideals, just like dreaming of a perfect prince charming. This shows how naive her disappointment is. She turns a blind eye to her physical defects, which is an adolescent fantasy. "
Expert advice:
Don't go to big department stores and specialty stores, where the brands are too tempting. What you need to do is to rebuild your shopping concept by buying only some classic models with neutral colors. During this period, you will learn to recognize your choice.
B. Shopping addiction-"I've always wanted to buy something expensive."
Patient self-report:
"I can earn money and spend money. Almost half of my monthly salary is spent on clothes, sometimes I think it is too much! I spend a whole day shopping almost every two weeks. I like to be like a real fashion expert, knowing how to' mix' new styles with old ones to give me the coolest feeling, or how to find the latest trend collocation in Zara store. I will find what I want on ELLE in the first time, and then rush to these stores directly, and can't wait for the discount this season. My wardrobe is cleaned once a year, and all the original clothes are emptied, which will be sent to the second-hand store by me. " (Li Shan, 29 years old)
Psychologists' analysis:
"Li Shan cleans her wardrobe every season. This fashionable' overeating' is almost the same as the dependence of addicts on drugs. For her, material possession is an urgent need to fill the emptiness and' lack of meaning of existence': only consumption can make her have a sense of existence. Therefore, the more famous brands can win her favor, because what she wants is to find the feeling of narcissism and make her image more valuable. "
Expert advice:
1. Only do business at a loss. Set up a special account for all the clothes to be sent to the second-hand shop. You can only take money from this account every time you buy new clothes, and you must never overspend.
2. Diet regularly. Once a month, once a week or once a quarter, remember to disclose your "diet" plan and time, and you will stick to it under the supervision of your friends.
C. blind plagiarism-"I always imitate others unconsciously."
Patient self-report:
"I don't know what kind of clothes I like except jeans! I always imitate others and wear them with me. For example, I once saw a fashionable girl wearing a lovely lambswool coat, so I bought an identical coat. I won't ask myself if I really like that coat, or if that girl is so handsome ... what happened? I didn't realize it was a complete mistake until I got home! It is normal to think about it now: I am short and fat, but that girl is tall and thin ... So, except jeans, my wardrobe is almost full of failed shopping income. " (Caroline, 28)
Psychologists' analysis:
"The establishment of personal style comes from a clear understanding of yourself; However, Caroline regards this as the satisfaction of self-desire and vanity. Women always care more about other people's eyes or think other people's things are better, so when we know that Caroline likes to secretly imitate her mother since she was a child, it is not surprising that she takes a completely different person as an example. Of course, jeans are an exception: they really suit men, women and children. "
Expert advice:
Choose a fashion icon that is somewhat similar to yourself (that is, if you have Monica? Bellucci's figure, don't stare at Kate Moss all the time, believe it. At the same time, you should pay attention to your boyfriend or husband's opinion: if he sees a model figure 16-year-old girl and screams in horror, don't risk wearing it again.
D. obsessed with high heels-"I bought a lot of high heels, but I never wore them."
Patient self-report:
"I have a special hobby for shoes, especially collecting all kinds of high heels! This is my baby: owning and appreciating their beauty is my greatest happiness. I bring one or two pairs of new shoes home every month, although I never wear high heels myself. Maybe this hobby can be traced back to childhood. I remember that when I was only five or six years old, I liked to look in the mirror in my mother's shoes. " (Lucy, 30 years old)
Psychologists' analysis:
"Our feet are actually a special erotic part, and shoes are like jewelry boxes, which multiply the temptation. As long as you put your mind to it skillfully, they can be excellent props to create feminine charm. For Lucy, all kinds of shoes have satisfied many of her dreams: imagining that she is as elegant as a movie heroine, imagining that she has returned to her childhood, and her mind is full of growing up to be a beautiful woman like her mother ... such a beautiful imagination has satisfied her. "
Expert advice:
Immerse yourself in your imagination, but don't forget the real world: spend one day a week feeling the real life! Remember to wear 10 cm high heels, carry your beloved handbag and bravely walk into the subway and office!
E. Deep in despair-"I have nothing to wear anymore!"
Patient self-report:
"I have seen many strange scenes: I opened the closet and immediately fell into deep fear because there was nothing to wear! This is a feeling mixed with anger and despair, which usually appears in seasons, especially in spring and autumn, which is neither too hot nor too cold. It seems that all the clothes are out of date, and nothing looks good in them. The more I look at it, the uglier I feel. So I can't help feeling depressed, because I have nothing to wear anymore ... Finally, I usually spend the whole summer in white clothes and pants, or wear a black coat with jeans in winter. And every day has passed so so so that even I have lost interest in shopping: because in my experience, there are no more clothes suitable for me to wear! " (Isabel, 27 years old)
Psychologists' analysis:
"This is a common disease, which comes from the deep boredom of self: patients are eager to break through the original body and get new spiritual and life attempts. This kind of emotion is more common in spring and autumn, precisely because this is the most sentimental season. "
Expert advice:
People who usually complain that they have no clothes to wear often have too many choices. In fact, the way to regain self-confidence is very simple, as long as you insist: never wear the same white or black again, and force yourself to go to the closet for inspiration ... If you think that floral shirt you bought in 2000 is also in line with this year's fashion elements, then you are successful!
I hope it will be adopted and helpful to you!