Can't control "chopping hands"?

"Compulsive shopping disorder" is a mental disorder with the following typical manifestations, including the inability to control one's desire to shop, a strong sense of guilt after every purchase, huge debt consumption, and spending a lot of time browsing shopping websites every day

It’s the annual "Double Eleven" shopping festival.

What is this mental illness? Today we will take a closer look

Is a mental disorder, addictive behavior

As early as more than 100 years ago, German psychologist Amy Krepilin put forward the concept of "shopping addiction"

Psychologists Kelett and Bolton gave the definition of "compulsive shopping disorder" in 2009.

The typical manifestations of "compulsive shopping disorder" include the inability to control one's shopping desire, a strong sense of guilt after every purchase, huge debt consumption, and spending a lot of time browsing shopping websites every day

Psychologists tend to classify the above-mentioned behaviors as addictive behaviors, believing that when these "shopaholics" are shopping, their brains will continue to secrete pleasant dopamine (a neurotransmitter secreted in the human brain)

Trauma and loneliness make people compulsively shop

From the definition of compulsive shopping disorder, it is not difficult to find that the main cause is the patient's negative emotions

One is the sense of traumatic deprivation

What is a sense of traumatic deprivation? Let's look at a case

Trauma psychology believes that if trauma is not healed, it will always be with us, and it will drive us to do some irrational things

The second is loneliness

Loneliness is addictive

In addition to trauma and loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depression can also make people compulsively shop

These methods can help you curb your desire to shop

What should we do if we or our relatives and friends have similar symptoms? To what extent does it need to receive professional treatment?

The author suggests that, first, you can establish a real social life, connect more with relatives and friends, and not be overwhelmed by loneliness; secondly, you can develop the habit of keeping accounts and keep records, which can reduce blind consumption; again, don't use credit cards and use cash as much as possible; Finally, use beneficial ways such as reading, exercising, talking to people, and contacting nature to alleviate negative emotions

Nowadays, there are some irrational consumer mutual aid groups on many apps.

If none of the above methods can prevent you or your relatives from shopping spree, and there is a debt crisis due to shopping spree, causing severe family conflicts, and accompanied by intense pain, then it is recommended to seek professional psychologists for treatment
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(The author is a national secondary psychological counselor)