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Written by admin on July 7th, 2010

Are You Addicted To Shopping And Debt?

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Everyone knows at least one person who seems unable or unwilling to get their penchant for spending and amassing debt under control. But why is this? Is this person simply reckless when it comes to spending money? Or could it be that this unfortunate person has a genuine addiction to shopping, debt, and everything else that comes along with compulsive spending?

To investigate this, you will have to understand addiction. You will need to know what makes an addict, the signs of addiction, and then what to do about it. If this person is you then you may not just be someone who loves to shop. You could actually be addicted to it.

What Makes An Addict?

Addiction is characterized by denial. A person engages in behavior that is harmful to him or her and yet denies the impact. These addicted individuals will go so far as to flat out lie to themselves and others to protect the addiction, possibly without ever realizing that this is what it is.

Compulsive buyers have a strong desire to make purchases, to spend a lot on these purchases and make these purchases on a regular basis, and they have trouble stopping themselves from making these purchases. To the compulsive buyer, it often does not matter who they are buying for so long as they are buying. They could even be spending large amounts of money on gifts for their pets.

The Signs Of Compulsive Buying

The signs of compulsive buying are not always the same so these are only a few possible signs. Of course, you can begin by looking at the characteristics of an addict listed above but, in addition to this, listen for the following lies. The person may tell you that they can pay off all their purchases when the monthly bill comes even if that clearly is not true. They may compound this lie by promising that next month will be different. They may claim that at some point in the future that they will pay off debt and start saving, but this future never comes.

They may claim that they genuinely need an item that is clearly not a necessity. They may even claim that they can live a frugal lifestyle and that they will as soon as they buy one more thing or ten more things. Basically, they will say anything to keep from having to stop spending now.

What Can You Do About Compulsive Shopping?

Remember, first and foremost, that compulsive shopping is a genuine addiction and if this is indeed what you are dealing with then professional help will be necessary. You must admit that you have a problem and then you need to seek help. You wouldn’t expect an alcoholic or a drug addict to fix the problem on his or her own and the same is true for compulsive shopping. Help is needed.

You may enter into therapy for this addiction. Additionally, you may choose to take advantage of a 12 step program like Debtors Anonymous. This group is similar to Alcoholics Anonymous in that it provides a non-judgemental forum in which addicts can share experiences and find support.

Are you really addicted to shopping and debt? You may need to seek out a professional if you or people you know suspect that this is the truth of the matter. Even if you only suspect it, seek help. Addictions left unchecked rarely have happy endings.

Related posts:

1. Is Debt An Emotional Problem?
2. The Rising Cost of Debt