(image by Google)
Shop! Shop! And again Shop! That’s what I would say if somebody asked me ‘what my hobbies are’. Amongst my friends I’m known as the one who loves shopping. But I’ve noticed that I’ve been shopping a lot lately… If I’m not down town then you most probably find me online checking out some webshops and filling my chart… I never held track on how much I spend on shopping so cant tell you much about that…
And what do I buy? Name it and I tell you probably I have it: Shoes (loads of shoes), bags, scarves, accessories (earrings, bangles, watches, hijabpins, and headbands), books, make-up, and perfume… I just keep on buying.
What is a shopaholic? This is what Luisa Cameli, PhD, Psychology, and Director of the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Clinics says: “A shopaholic is someone who feels he must shop. The shopaholic would rather go to the mall than do any other activity, A shopaholic doesn’t consider the value of the purchase, because it is the act of shopping and buying that makes him euphoric. “Buying an item, any item, is the high point for shopaholics. It makes them unreasonably happy. Once home they put the bag beside other items bought and the guilt and shame set in and they regret the purchase.”
And This is what I recently (in week time) purchased online:
So am I a shopaholic? Let’s answer some questions that may bring some light.
Do you think about shopping every day? Hmmm
Do you shop for yourself every day or every week? Yes
Do you understand why you shop – what drives it, what triggers it, and what consequences it has (could you write those things down or cogently describe them to someone else)? I shop because I like stuff but don’t always need them. Sometimes I shop when I’m bored.
Do you ever feel bad (guilty, ashamed, fearful) after a shopping trip? No not really, sometimes I feel guilty. I hardly feel bad about my purchases and when its not what I expected, I bring it back.
Do you ever feel weirdly ‘up’ after a shopping trip (triumphant, exultant, complete)? Nope but I do feel sometimes the urge for shopping, like craving for chocolate.
Does shopping fill a lot of your time, thoughts and creative energy? No, I go online and click what I want or go to town with friends or my sis have lunch and do some shopping.
Does shopping take a large portion of your disposable income? Yes it does.
Is your relationship to shopping one of your most important? It’s my only relationship… Just kidding but I do feel a strong connection with it.
Do you have significant credit card debt, racked up on clothing, shoes and accessories purchases? No, no debts…Thank God!
Are you on a first name basis with the sales people of your favourite stores, you shop there so much? Seriously? I do have a life besides shopping.. So no need to be friends with sales people…
Do you have the phone numbers of your favourite stores on speed dial? Helloooo, of course not!
Is the thought of not going shopping for any period of time (a month, 6 months, a year) cause you to feel light-headed, heavy-hearted or short-of-breath with the sheer mortification of it? Nope not that kind of feelings, just the craving feeling, feeling the urge and need to buy but I won’t faint or hyperventilate.
Who’s the boss – shopping or you? Me!
My shopping hasn’t brought me in to any financial trouble, like huge debts
So you decide: Am I or am I not a shopaholic?
Anyhow here are some tips that might be handy for the shopaholics amongst us..hahaha
· Decide exactly how much you can afford to spend.
· Go shopping when you’re at your best, i.e. not tired, hungry, or anxious.
· Use cash only—leave the credit cards at home.
· Set a time limit for your shopping trip.
· Know what you want to buy; don’t just wander in and out of stores.
· If you want an item that’s not on your list, go home and think about it. You can always buy it later.
· Have an emergency plan should you start to lose control, like calling a friend who knows about your problem.
(image by Google)
