You are walking around the center of the city, and suddenly you see a beautiful dress that radiates such a flash that causes you to lose the view, and the first thing that you think is: “I need it”. You buy it, and continue to walk, but now what you see is a shower curtain and said: “that is also something I need, which is in the house already has a week and need it replaced, i can also accompanied by some nice bathroom decorations!”. For when the afternoon arrives you have already spent all your salary and your shopping bags already do not fit in the trunk. Dear friend, maybe you have become totally crazy for shopping.
Although it sounds like something absurd, there is the disease of compulsive shopping. This disease is known as oniomania: it is a type of disorder where the person tends to buy compulsively repeatedly, making waste of money on unnecessary items. It is characterized by the unbridled desire and anxiety by buying any object, even when they don’t need it, and hiding them then, because it causes great shame in the person, developing feelings of guilt.
Maybe Its definition may sound a little funny for many, but the reality is that this psychological disorder has causes and consequences somewhat alarming, that can generate large havoc. Which we will see below.
This psychopathology is mostly developed in those with problems of low self-esteem, depression and constant changes of mood. Those who are looking to fill an internal void through the satisfaction when shopping, achieve to feel “complete” only temporarily; keeping away and forgetting the real problems. The feelings of rage and anger are also factors that lead to buy. Normally, because of excessive purchases, the person falls in economic problems and debts, causing great concern in the family.
How can we detect an oniomaniac? Among the key behaviors of those who suffer from this disorder include: the impulsive thoughts about some item in specific, extreme care and perfectionism to find out the best place of items for sale, shopping to release the stress, then feelings of guilt for not controlling their impulses. Suspicious behavior to hide objects purchased, irritability, and anxiety worrying about not achieving making any purchase, insulation for any activity that does not relate to buy, among others. In many cases this behavior is associated with previous disorders, such as the eating and the obsessive-compulsive.
As for treatment, the most recommendable is to visit a psychologist, this may submit her to cognitive-behavioral therapies to help control little by little these impulses and the anxiety, and only in this way, she will recover normalcy in her life. Family support is considered essential for the effectiveness of the therapy. If you think you suffer from this disorder or know someone affected, do not remain in silent.
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