Compulsive Shopping, Compulsive Spending, Shopping Addiction & Shopaholism - Shopaholics, Shopping Addicts, Addicted To Buying, Online Auction Addiction, Credit Card Addiction
Shopping Addiction, Oniomania - Our Responses, Reactions Many of us enjoy shopping. It can alter our mood, give us a sense of control. Yet for some we may have become too dependent on shopping and our level of shopping can become out of control, out of balance, when we gradually allow it to consume us, as if this is the only thing to look forward to. In a confusing, uncertain and sometimes meaningless world, at least shopping can have some predictability, so we can end up creating our own world of shopping. Our shopping experience can give us temporarily lift in mood and sense of worth. We may even amusingly boast we are a "shopaholic". Others may have joked with us, or show their concerns. Even we may try to see our compulsive buying as trivial. We may have a love-hate relationship with shopping, we feel a growing dependency and isolation. Shutting other things out, troubled feelings, our thinking may become distorted. We may become preoccupied with the amount of shopping we do and have developed a buying obsession. Becoming slowly addicted to shopping, we can end up compelled to buy things we don't really need or want. We may have become secretive, often shopping alone, or not tell the whole truth about our spending patterns. We may become agitated when we stop shopping, as if we are addicted to our behaviour (compulsive shopping, compulsive spending, shopaholism, shopping compulsion, addicted to spending money, impulsive shopping or shopping addiction, oniomania - whatever label we give to it). Our obsessive buying, compulsive buying may have enormous financial consequences and may have developed a credit card addiction. Eventually our "shopaholism" affects not only us but others around us, so much so that we may end up concealing, minimising, denying what we do. Whole other areas of our life may have been neglected, including our relationship. We may have tried to stop "being a shopaholic", yet have been unsuccessful. Counselling and psychotherapy can offer shopping addiction help.
Compulsive Spending - Rising & Falling Hopes Or Moods Our buying addiction shopping experience can have some familiarity and predictability, giving us a lift, keeping us temporarily safe. Some of us may struggle with life's uncertainties, unknowns, ambivalence, contradictions, conflicts, what's in our control. And after our shopping conquest when have bought something or have found the perfect thing we are looking for, we may experience elation, temporary relief or quick deflation. Our buying addiction can be limited to the internet, where, if we shop online, we can use less energy, just click the "Buy" button, sit back and enjoy the anticipation and temporary thrill we get from the hunt, search, excitement of the chase, or when we buy, or press "Buy" (the dopamine release). Compulsive shopping (whether physically shopping, shopping online or online auctions) affects our mood. Contradictory or mixed emotions, may follow. Our hopes then fall where depression and guilt (maybe about what we've spent, the after effects, our secrets and lies) may follow. We may become edgy, agitated, irritated, when we are unable to spend money. Deserving our "treat", and when we become hooked, we may have a range of intense experiences before we shop (some of these may remind us of the memories, feelings we felt when a child). We might gradually feel tense, anxious inside, have excitement, anticipate shopping scenarios, shopping sprees, become preoccupied (imagining, dreaming, rehearsing, planning) with our need to buy something. In our anticipation, our hopes are raised we embark upon our search, bringing us temporary relief. Yet another tension may follow in trying to find the thing we are looking for. As a compulsive spender, we may often wanting to shop alone, without interference. We may be in a trance-like state, feeling out of control. Many of us may become excited, with an adrenaline rush, as if we are on a hunt, waiting for the kill to reach its climax - the purchase, which gives us a buzz. We can be happy if only at times for a split second. (Buying the "wrong thing" can occupy our minds until we find ways of rectifying this.) Returning home, we may want to hide or squirrel away what be bought from others, be secretive about the money we spent. Anxious inside, to relieve our guilt or shame, we may return to this circular buying addiction, shopaholic behaviour. We may have tried to stop our buying addiction but it is not the items itself we are addicted to but it's the buying we are addicted to, the acquisition, process of the search and thrill. The search itself may also point to a search for beauty, depth, sense of completion, spiritual meaning. We may now be looking for shopping addiction help, buying addiction help, shopping addiction therapy.
Compulsive Spending Cycles, Spending Habits Compensating for something else, we may have developed a habit of compulsive buying, compulsive spending, allowing our shopping urges to get the better of us. Empty, alienated or lonely inside, shopping (or having access to new funds) can temporarily make us feel better, as we forget about our sorrows through our spending habit. Shopping can give us comfort or a sense of importance. Shopping can also be a release. Yet disappointment, guilt or shame may follow our compulsive buying, compulsive spending. Caught in our shopping cycle, we may want to spend our way out of depression. We may have a sense of emptiness, loneliness, boredom, sense of meaninglessness, not feeling lovable inside. Promising one day we'll stop, hungry inside, we may be longing for or desiring something that deep inside we know can't help us, and grieving this loss we turn to shopping once again. Obsessively searching for something to buy may not only point to a money obsession but also indicate a deeper search or connection in life. Our underlying needs may have been overlooked. Forgetful, we may procrastinate, neglect our family and friends. Seeking shopping addiction therapy, we may now be seeking help for shopping addiction, so we can free up our life, prioritise other things.
What Else May Be Going On Inside There may be other areas of our life we find hard to manage, and at least shopping gives us a structure and we may value this, yet lose our personal sense of what else we value. Deep down inside, do we really need this item, will we use it, have space for it, does it elevate our life? Besides our shopping, we may have some underlying feelings, unhappiness and anguish, maybe despair, wanting to shut things down, block things out, be in our own fantasy world as a means of a temporary escape. We may have begun to use shopping as an outlet to ignore our own unresolved problems. We may feel disappointed or dissatisfied in our relationship or marriage. Things may be not the way we would like them to be. We may feel powerless, and shopping can give us a sense of revenge. Some of us may overspend as a way of having some control over our partner. We may be angry, struggling to express this. Some may search for approval, affirmation, validation, recognition, appreciation or confirmation. How we feel about our body may also be affecting our need to shop. We may be dissatisfied about our size, shape or weight. We may be overly concerned about our body image (see also Our Body - Counselling London) - our esteem. Buying new clothes can make us feel better about the way we look. Yet if they don't fit we can become demoralised. And not all of us may experience positive feelings, especially if we can't find what we want to buy or compare ourselves with others. We may have envy - unfairly comparing our self with others that we lack something, so we want something and have to shop. Inside we may also fear dying or have existential concerns. Our shopping may be in some way a form of sabotage. We may be now be looking for spending addiction help through shopping addiction treatment.
Online Shopping Addiction Shopping online can be very convenient, time saving, yet feed our credit card addiction. We may have a need to shop online (as part of our compulsive buying addiction), and when not shopping online, get irritable, anxious or despairing. Spending a lot of time online shopping, we can become socially isolated. Sometimes our level of participation in online auctions can become almost like a gambling addiction.
Online Auction Addiction We may have begun to develop an internet shopping addiction. Online auctions are a helpful platform to buy, sell and trade almost anything. They can be convenient, fun and rewarding. relationships and friendships can be developed between buyers and sellers. Using online auctions can be a way of relieving our stress. They can appeal to our competitive side, we can feel powerful, and when we "win", we may desire more and more. Like an addict, we can get a thrill or "rush" from the chase, hunt, countdown, winning the prize and sense of bargain. Immersed into our auction addiction we may want to repeat our online auctioneering over and over again. We may have developed an online auction compulsion, dismissing the consequences of our actions. We may be in trouble with our online auction habit when we seem unable to control our desire and feelings, when the time we spend increases in order to build up our level of excitement, when we become preoccupied by our online auction addiction.
Our Main Problem May Not Be Shopping, Buying We may value things rather than experiences. The counselling for compulsive shopping can explore further what shopping means for us - our personal story behind it, our underlying reasons, alongside how we can begin to reclaim the whole of our life.
Addiction Counselling Questions Regarding Shopping Addiction, Compulsive Spending Addiction, Compulsive Buying, Shopaholism Or Oniomania You may have some questions about shopaholics, shop addiction, buying addiction or spending addiction, e.g.:
- How to find oniomania counselling? Is oniomania counselling a treatment suitable for shopping addiction?
- Is oniomania counselling similar to counselling for shopaholism?
- How to find oniomania psychotherapy? Is oniomania psychotherapy a treatment suitable for shopping addiction?
- Is oniomania psychotherapy similar to psychotherapy for shopaholism?
- Compulsive spending - am I a compulsive spender
- Obsessive spending - obsessive shopping, obsessive buying addiction is part of my life, what help is available for buying obsession, shopping obsession?
- Compulsive shoppers, compulsive spending, compulsive buying addiction - I'm wondering if I need compulsive shopping help? What is the compulsive shopping treatment? I may need compulsive spending help, what is the compulsive buying treatment?
- Spending addiction - I think I'm addicted to spending
- Shopaholics - is there such a thing like a shopaholic, shopaholism? What is the available help for shopaholics? How effective is shopaholic treatment, shopaholic therapy?
- Addiction to shopping - do shopping addicts exist? Can shopping addiction be overcome? What are the signs of a shop addiction? What is the help for shopping addiction? I need shopping addiction help, how effective is shopping addiction therapy, shopping addiction treatment?
- Oniomaniac - What oniomania treatment is available?
- Addicted to shopping (internet shopping addiction, online shopping addiction) - I am specifically addicted to online shopping, what help is available to online shopping addicts?
- How to break spending habit?
Range Of Unhelpful Habits, Distractions, Addictions Counselling London
Alcohol Problem
Internet, Computer, Technology & Communication "Addiction"
- Sex Addiction - Pornography Problem, Porn Addiction, Online Sex, Internet Sex & Cybersex Addiction, Masturbation Addiction
- Online Chat Addiction, Text Chat Room Addiction & Internet Dating Addiction Counselling London
- Technology Addiction & Gadget Addiction Counselling London
- Internet Overuse, Internet Addiction & Computer Addiction
- Mobile Addiction Counselling In London, Email, Text, Telephone Addiction, Nomophobia
- Social Media Addiction Counselling London
- Addicted To Games - Computer Games Addiction, Online Games Addiction, Video Game Addiction & Computer Gaming Addiction Help
Other Obsessions, Compulsions Or "Addictions"
- Stress Eating, Emotional Eating, Comfort Eating, Binge Eating Help, Compulsive Eating Counselling, Food Addiction Therapy
- Fitness, Gym & Exercise Addiction
- Compulsive Shopping, Compulsive Spending, Shopping Addiction & Shopaholism - Shopaholics, Shopping Addicts, Addicted To Buying, Online Auction Addiction, Credit Card Addiction
- Gambling Problems, Compulsive Gambling, Online Gambling Addiction
- Money Obsessed - Addicted To Money, Money Addiction, Money Obsession, Trading Addiction, Counselling London
- Work-Life Balance, Workaholism, Addicted To Work & Work Addiction
- Busyness addiction, addiction to activities
- Worry addiction
- Perfectionism Counselling London
- Addicted to beauty, glamour
- Approval addiction
- Addicted to self criticism, self-blame
- Addiction to fixing others, addicted to pleasing others
- Romance addiction, love addiction, serial yet uncommitted relationships, addiction to conflict, bad relationships
- Addictive Element To Certain Attachment Styles
- Caretaking, codependency
- Emotional affairs, limerence
- Emotional addiction
- Addiction to talking
- Addicted to gossip
- Addicted to dramas
- Addicted to anger
- Addiction to shame, self-blame
- Addiction to pain, suffering
- Addicted to sleep
- Procrastination
- Clutter, messiness
- Addiction to spirituality
- Addicted to meditation
- Religious Activities - Obsession With Religion, Religious Addiction
FAQs about the shopping addiction Counselling London practice based in Kings Cross, Camden:
- What is the frequency of shopping addiction counselling in London, Kings Cross?
- How many shopping addiction counselling in London sessions do I need?
- How much does shopping addiction counselling London cost?
- Must I visit your London counselling practice in Camden or do you offer Skype counselling, online counselling or Telephone counselling?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of offering online counselling, Skype counselling or in-person counselling in London, Camden, Kings Cross
- Do you only offer shopping addiction counselling in London, Camden or Kings Cross?
- What times do you offer shopping addiction counselling in London, Kings Cross or Camden?
- How do I contact a counsellor in London, Camden, or near Kings Cross?
- How effective is shopping addiction counselling in London, Kings Cross, Camden?
- What can I expect from the initial session of counselling London?
- What to expect from the other shopping addiction counselling London sessions?
- What is the typical duration of the London counselling services in Camden, Kings Cross
- Can buying addiction be helped by counselling?
- Is counselling suitable for buying addiction?
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