I thought shopaholic anonymous was my novel idea, a randomly made up title for my blog inspired by "alcoholics anonymous".
To my surprise, shopaholics anonymous actually existed. There was even this Shopaholics Anonymous website!
I did the tests on their site to determine whether I was a compulsive buyer, and true enough I accumulated points high enough to put me on the compulsive shopper category.
My closet has unopened shopping bags in it. Others might consider me a "shopaholic." Much of my life centers around buying things. I buy things I don’t need. I buy things I did not plan to buy. I consider myself an impulse purchaser. Do you “take off for the stores” when you’ve experienced a setback or a disappointment, or when you feel angry or scared? When you shop, do you feel a rush of euphoria mixed with feelings of anxiety? Do you feel you’re performing a dangerous, reckless or forbidden act when you shop? When you return home after shopping, do you feel guilty, ashamed, embarrassed or confused? Are many of your purchases seldom or never worn or used? Do you lie to your family or friends about what you buy and how much you spend? Do you think about money excessively – how much you have, how much you owe, how much you wish you had – and then go out and shop again?
I hate to admit I answered "Yes" to all the above statements.
Taken from the website:
Compulsive Shopping seems to be associated with:
* Emotional deprivation in childhood
* Inability to tolerate negative feelings, pain, loneliness, boredom, depression, fear, anger
* Need to fill an inner void – empty and longing inside
* Excitement seeking
* Approval seeking
* Perfectionism
* Genuinely impulsive and compulsive
* Need to gain control
People who become preoccupied with buying stuff and repeatedly spend money on items, regardless of need, are commonly referred to as shopaholics. Scientists call it compulsive buying.
Compulsive buying was linked to materialism, reduced self-esteem, depression, anxiety and stress. Compulsive shoppers had positive feelings associated with buying, and they also tended to hide purchases, return items, have more family arguments about purchases and have more maxed-out credit cards. A dwindling bank account is just one of the upshots of shopping 'til you drop. Others include family conflicts, stress, depression and loss of self-esteem.
New research reveals while some super-shoppers spend to boost self-esteem and band-aid other perceived internal deficits, others' carts are driven by plain-old materialism.
I really like this website. I feel as though it is addressing me personally.
I agree with almost everything on the site! Is it psychic or what? It seems to be reading my mind!!!!
I have this insatiable desire to obtain more material stuff, even though I do not need it. I can confidently say that I have more than enough clothes, shoes, accessories, bags to last me another 10 years or even more. But yet, I always want more.
Though I am spending within my means, its still not good enough because I am literally spending within my means. I spend almost all the money I have, and probably less than 1% goes to my savings -badddd!!!!!!
To me, shopping is like a blanket of comfort.
I find comfort and happiness in the company of my belongings. Maybe I am weird or something, but just looking at my clothes/accessories in my wardrobe makes me happy. It makes me feel as though everything in my life is all fine and merry...If only that was all to life.
After reading all the articles, I feel all the more convinced that something has to be done about my spending habits. It may not be that serious now as compared to the spending patterns of some other people, but I figure this is only the beginning. I must take control before it spirals into something worse, when I fall into debt etc.
What's worse than sinning is sinning knowingly and continuously.
I know what I am doing is wrong, but somehow I still continue to do it. What I really need now is the fruit of self-control and a really strong mind.
I guess there has been some improvement since the previous months ... But more can be done!!!!
Probably the wisest thing to do is to avoid shopping malls at all cost and hide my ibank device in a secure location. I must constantly remind myself that I DO NOT have to buying anything each time I step out of the house!!!!!!!!
I love this particular line from the article (regarding the feeling of longing to buy something)
"It's like having an itch and they have got to scratch it. And they don't realize that just like an itch, if they don't scratch it sooner or later the itch will go away."
YES. I MUST STOP SCRATCHING ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It took me quite a bit of courage to type this all out. I can't be lying to myself anymore, telling myself that it is alright, it is normal. I cannot ignore this anymore. It is as stupid as ignoring a ticking time bomb strapped to your chest (unless you are a terrorist). I must be rational and do rational things....