Confessions of a Shopaholic
The world was shocked by acclaimed sports writer Buzz Bissinger’s GQ Magazine confession that he spent nearly half a million dollars on designer clothing. But, this should come as no surprise — a study by the University of Virginia found that approximately 9 percent of the general population has a shopping addiction. This affliction has been likened to alcoholism or drug addictions.
In a March episode of Kourtney and Kim Take Miami, Kim Kardashian gets a reality check when her accountant informs her that she would lose her dream home if she did not curb her spending. And, Huffington Post writer Shannon Bradley-Colleary is attempting to curb her shopping addiction by wearing her entire collection of 71 dresses in 71 days.
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Types of Shopaholics
The Shulman Center for Compulsive Theft, Spending & Hoarding discovered that the gap between the number of women and men with this affliction is closing. Founder and director of The Schulman Center, Terrence Shulman. told Business Insider that there are many types of shopaholics:
- Those who shop for themselves
- Those who shop for others, to gain love or approval
- The bargain hunters
- Those who need a high-end item to feel good
- Those looking to improve their image
- Bulimic shoppers, a.k.a. return-aholics
Schulman adds that this addiction “affects young people, because they’re getting access to credit cards at an earlier age. And kids want expensive gadgets: They want a new phone every year or a new video game every month. We also know it affects people who are well-to-do, are gainfully employed and have a decent income just the same as people who are barely scraping by. So it really cuts across all categories.”
The recommended treatment for this addiction is therapy, educating yourself on the subject and engaging your loved ones in the issue.
Do you consider yourself a shopaholic? Which type are you? Share your story in the comments below.
