Compulsive shopping: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

By Cristiano Antonino On May 19, 2023

Compulsive shopping disorder, generally associated with impulse control disorders or other behavioural addictions, is characterised by the repetition of episodes in which the person experiences an uncontrollable urge to make purchases that, although recognised as unnecessary or excessive, cannot be avoided or kept under control

The repetition of compulsive shopping episodes can lead the person to harmful psychological, financial, relational and occupational consequences.

Although compulsive shopping disorder has not yet been conclusively defined, experts tend to describe individual episodes on the basis of a sequence of regular phases

in the first phase of a compulsive shopping episode, the person begins to have thoughts, worries and a sense of urgency towards the act of buying, either in general or about a particular object. This phase also usually seems to be preceded by unpleasant emotions such as sadness, anxiety, boredom or anger.
the second phase is when one prepares for the purchase by planning certain aspects such as the shops to visit, the kind of items to look for or even the method of payment one intends to use.
the third phase is that of true compulsive shopping, in which the person, often in the grip of an almost sensual excitement, feels ‘courted’ by the objects he sees and by their qualities, assessed at that moment as extremely attractive and indispensable.

The fourth phase, which closes the episode, is the one following the compulsive buying, after which the previous feelings of excitement and euphoria quickly turn into frustration, guilt, shame and disappointment in oneself.

A compulsive shopping episode thus seems to be organised around certain emotional states rather than on the basis of real needs or desires

Negative states such as anxiety and tension constitute the antecedents of the episode, while positive emotional states of euphoria or relief constitute the immediate rewarding condition, followed however by unpleasant emotions such as frustration and guilt.

Other characteristics that may help to distinguish a compulsive shopping disorder from normal purchasing behaviour may concern the nature of the objects purchased: sometimes people suffering from compulsive shopping buy things they do not really need or already have, that do not correspond to their real personal tastes or that are beyond their financial possibilities.

Sometimes the purchased items quickly lose interest to the extent that they are not taken out of their packaging, are returned, hidden or given to others.

Most people suffering from compulsive shopping recognise that they have a problem, but feel out of control

The problematic episodes are experienced as uncontrollable impulses that cannot be resisted despite their best efforts.

Those most at risk of developing this condition are mainly women (in 95 per cent of cases) in their 20s and 30s, the age at which they tend to gain some economic independence.

Compulsive shopping also seems to occur more frequently in people also suffering from other diseases, in particular mood disorders, anxiety, impulse control disorders and substance use disorders.

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