What Are Compulsive Buyers Running Away From?

Compulsive buyers try to fill their inner emptiness through their buying frenzy and achieve short-term happiness.

Compulsive shoppers  are people who shop to satisfy their inner urges. Another pair of shoes, a few more bags or completely unnecessary things … they are addicted to shopping and cannot control themselves.

It is not about people who do not know how to handle money, but rather pathological behavior behind which  a serious ailment is hidden. 

Compulsive buyers on a buying frenzy

Compulsive shoppers  try to calm and satisfy themselves by shopping,  because like with a drug, this activates the reward system and those affected have the feeling of filling their terrible emptiness or alleviating their suffering. They want to escape reality by experiencing momentary, but very short-term, happiness.

As with an addiction, they act  without thinking and can spend large sums of money,  which can then lead to feelings of guilt. Affected people know that shopping cannot improve their situation, but they have lost control.

Some are aware of the serious negative consequences, they hoard nonsensical and useless things and spend all their money. Many cannot escape this situation themselves, the problems multiply and can only be solved with professional help.

Those affected  have to track down the cause, find out what triggers the compulsion to buy. They need to learn to face their problems instead of running away.

Are you a compulsive buyer?

You surely know the answer to this question yourself, but if you are not sure whether this disorder applies to you or to people around you, you can identify it as follows:

1. They buy things they never use

As mentioned earlier, compulsive buyers usually buy things they never use. These objects are forgotten and never touched again.

The consumer society we live in uses advertising, new models, and clever marketing to get shoppers to buy something they don’t need. This can be even more fascinating for compulsive buyers.

2. Money is the way to doom

Buying addiction leads those affected to spend their money rashly, which over time often leads to high levels of debt. They use credit cards and completely forget that they have to pay back the money afterwards with high interest rates.

3. Sales are very tempting

Just like advertisements, sales force compulsive buyers to buy things so that they end up spending even more money. Special offers and discounts are all too tempting; sufferers lose control  and often run into large debts. 

Shopaholics have  low self-esteem and often suffer from  depression. It is a vicious circle: You are aware of what you are causing, you feel guilty, your self-esteem is hurt even more, the frustration even greater and the debt also increases …

There is only one way out: those affected have to seek professional help in order to understand and overcome their suffering!

Dependencies such as shopping addiction must not be played down. It is a disease that needs treatment.