AN ANALYTICAL PRINCIPAL OF SHOPPING ADDICTION

Although the concept of addiction has multiple definitions, traditionally it has been described as the repeated use of a substance despite the negative consequences suffered by the addicted individual. Addictive actions induce ones craving reactivity, creating a downsized inhibitory control that results to addictive behaviors (Brand et al., 2019). Majorly, addictive behaviors have been associated with social vices and are shun down by the society.

Although most agonizing addictive behaviors are related with social vices like pornography, gambling, and drug abuse, there are other addictions that are encouraged or precepted as mild addictions by members of the society. These addictive behaviors include shopping addiction and are stirred by the consumptive desire to fulfill physiological needs (Robinson et al., 2015) Unlike other unethically precepted addictions, shopping addiction is fueled by the modern society’s motivation to search for pleasure (Robinson et al., 2015), and social recognition.

Also known as oniomania, shopping addiction is notably a prevalent and socially acceptable addiction behavior (verywell.com, 2021). Like gambling, shopping addiction is motivated by the society and media through encouraging members of the society to purchase various commodities, which they’re assured will make them satisfied. Similarly, government’s encourage citizen’s expenditure to boost the economy.

Shopping addiction expresses the measure of social worth through intentional and unintentional consumerism (verywell.com, 2021). This addiction entails extravagant expenditure for pleasure and avoiding negative anxiety and depression. Although not socially castigated, addiction to shopping can escalate to an engrossment resulting to other challenges in life. Characteristically, shopping addicts struggle with their behavior which gradually accelerates to excessive expenditure leading to financial problems. Similarly, extravagant shoppers indulge in impulsive and compulsive spending making them to purchase something they’d not planned for, and which they’re convinced they require ta the moment. This makes shopping addicts to spend on unnecessary commodities which they can discard as soon as they arrive home.

Scholarly research has positively identified extroverts as shopping addicts. These researches suggest that extroverts engage in excessive shopping of new attires and accessories in to maintain their social status and attractiveness (Andreassen et al., 2015). Andreassen et al., states that neurotic individuals suffer from stress, anxiousness, depression, and engage in shopping to reduce their emotions. Veracity, personal esteem and distress have also been positively related to shopping addiction.

Low self-esteem is arguably the major cause of shopping addiction. Essentially, low self-esteem makes shopping addicts vulnerable to manipulation and influence resulting to impulsive and compulsive expenditure. Shopping addicts are also kindhearted, polite, and have sympathy for others, making them an easy target for conviction into ing commodities that they do not need. On the other hand, shopping addicts are more materialistic than regular shoppers. Their materialistic nature is propelled by their quest for higher social status through material objects that are socially approved by others. This people are usually buried in the fantasy of acquiring exorbitant things in life which in many cases are far beyond their affordability, in to enhance their social recognition.

While researchers focus on the impulse of shopping addiction, this behavior has its unaddressed advantages and limitations as well. Although shopping addicts can achieve their coveted social status and contain their stressful emotions through material possessions, continued impulsive and compulsive shopping can grow unproportionally leading to unnecessary debts and engaging in criminal activities.

References.

Andreassen, C. S., Griffiths, M. D., Pallesen, S., Bilder, R. M., Torsheim, T., & Aboujaoude, E. (2015). The Bergen Shopping Addiction Scale: reliability and validity of a brief screening test. Frontiers in Psychology, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01374

‌‌ Brand, M., Wegmann, E., Stark, R., Müller, A., Wölfling, K., Robbins, T. W., & Potenza, M. N. (2019). The Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model for addictive behaviors: Update, generalization to addictive behaviors beyond internet-use dis s, and specification of the process character of addictive behaviors. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 104, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.032

https://www.verywellmind.com (2021). How to Get Help for Shopping Addiction or Compulsive ing. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/shopping-addiction-4157288

‌ Robinson, M. J. F., Fischer, A. M., Ahuja, A., Lesser, E. N., & Maniates, H. (2015). Roles of “Wanting” and “Liking” in Motivating Behavior: Gambling, Food, and Drug Addictions. Behavioral Neuroscience of Motivation, 105–136. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2015_387

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