[1vegan]

This is not a joke. It could also fit in the environmental forum.<br><br><br><br>
Newspaper article<br><br><br><br><b>Psychiatrics U.S : Shopping is a disease.</b><br><br><br><br>
More and more American psychiatrics see shopping as a official disorder.<br><br><br><br>
They evaluating to label (see) compulsory shopping as a genetic determined, mental disease.<br><br>
A part of the scientist assume that people who daily spends more than an hour in shops and buys stuff he or she doesnt need, have a psychic problem.

 

[GhostUser]

Excessive shopping sprees are one sign (or symptom?) of being bi-polar. I know that sometimes I can't help myself if it's a good deal. Even if I don't need the thing. I'm forever buying something and giving it away because it was 50% off or something like that. Oh yes, I've bought things I didn't need on my credit cards and got myself into some serious debt in the past. This happened for a long time before I realized that I had a problem. And then came internet shopping. When I found the deals there I had a package arriving everyday for months, I **** you not. Looking back it was disgusting. But, when I get upset (mad or sad mostly) I shop. I blew through $12,000 within 2 months of my divorce 5+ years ago. Shopping and getting a deal give me a high sort of. So, when I actually quit denying my problem and realized it 2 years ago, I cut up all of my credit cards and have been working to pay myself out of debt ever since. Laugh if you must or shake your head in disgust (hey, I made a rhyme) but I tell you the truth. I haven't been in a store or on the internet shopping since after Christmas. I know that I can't afford the clearance deals..I just can't. But, I wouldn't be able to hold myself back either. It's almost like I have no control. Heck, some of my clothes still have the tags on them. Never worn...bought them only because they were on clearance and really don't have any place to wear them now (special occasion dresses, stuff like that). There's stuff in the attic that's still in boxes that's never been used. I know. I'm a freak.

 

[1vegan]

Brave of you to come clean on this.<br><br><br><br><b>I can't help myself if it's a good deal. Even if I don't need the thing</b><br><br><br><br>
This is the error people make.<br><br>
I do fall for it myself sometimes, but Ive trained myself to think the next things.<br><br><br><br>
1-\tIts on sale !<br><br>
2-\tWhy ? (is it not such a good product?)<br><br>
3-\tIs it near its expiration date?<br><br>
4-\tIs this something I buy when its not on sale?<br><br>
5-\tIf 4 is Yes, then do I need it in the near future?<br><br>
6-\tIs it really an offer?<br><br><br><br>
With point 6 I mean things like this.<br><br>
Product A costs 4.99<br><br>
Then they raise the price to 5.99 and the same day its on sale for only 5.45 !<br><br><br><br>
The good deal is a though one to get over, but its like this:<br><br>
1 Ferrari 200,000.-<br><br>
Buy two and get 10,000 off !<br><br>
So spend another 190,000 to save 10,000..<br><br>
If you need something: buy it, but recreational shopping isnt a good thing.

 

[GhostUser]

That's the thing. I can't think straight when I shop sometimes, especially when it's like a 50% off sale. I'm too emotionally involved at that point (if that makes any sense).. I go through these stages:<br><br><br><br>
1. Oh, look at this deal...only $10 and it used to be $20<br><br>
2. Do I need it though? Not really, but hey, it's only $10<br><br>
3. Yeah but do you need it? Not right now, but I could need it in the future. Or someone I know could need it.<br><br>
4. Do you have $10 to spend? Well, if you want it you can always find the money to get it. What about that line of credit that's tied to the checking? If it throughs the checking account over big deal. It'll just come out of the line of credit. No harm done.<br><br>
5. Yeah, but is there something else I may want instead? Well, easy solution. Buy that too...especially if it's on sale!<br><br>
6. The more deals I get at once the more hyped up I get...sometimes I actually get giddy.<br><br><br><br>
Help!!! I must be sick <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[1vegan]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block"><i>Originally posted by 1vegan</i><br><br><b>commercials aren't reality, its a idea/dream they want you to believe so you buy the product.</b></div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
Same goes for adds and "sale" <b>they want you to believe so you buy the product.</b><br><br><br><br>
If your that temped: walk to another isle for five minutes and reconsider it after the five minutes.

 

[Max Power]

Looking at my pile of gear from the Express For Men closing sale last weekend, I'd say I'm a little sick. A little <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/naughty.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":naughty:">

 

[Thalia]

I listened to a discussion on this on NPR's talk of the nation (available in the archives).<br><br><br><br>
What it is, is they have a general category in the DSM (the manual with all the official mental disorders) of impulse control, and they want to add shopping as a sub category. It would be with other things like gambling.

 

[1vegan]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block"><b>Heck, some of my clothes still have the tags on them. Never worn...bought them only because they were on clearance and really don't have any place to wear them now (special occasion dresses, stuff like that). There's stuff in the attic that's still in boxes that's never been used.</b></div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
Have you ever considered to have a garage sale or to bring them to a second-hand store?<br><br>
There might be some cash in it.<br><br><br><br>
I think that within certain limits that shopping can be a disease.<br><br>
I dont agree on the genetic thing.<br><br><br><br>
I feel that the huge number of commercials influence people to much.<br><br>
Lots of commercials have been set up in a way to influence your subconscious.<br><br><br><br>
Some time a go I heard a man say:<br><br>
when we go buy groceries my 3 (or 4) year old says dad, dad, we have to go to ToysRus, the kid does not know what ToysRus is. I we take him to a store and say this is ToysRus, hes happy<br><br><br><br>
It gives me a very sad feeling to hear that a 3 year old is brainwashed by a multi-national company on the childrens channel.

 

[mushroom]

My weakness is childrens clothing...but I never buy more than I can afford, yet the goodwill sure gets some nice stuff from me every year. And, in recent years, I have cut way back...just because I know it is not good for the planet.<br><br>
To curb my shopping impulse, I have started buying stocks...and also different kinds of food ingredients for exotic meals. We pay off our credit card every month, but I learned recently that only 1/3 of people do.

 

[mushroom]

It never fails after Saturday morning cartoons, my 6 & 9 have many new toys that the NEED...<br><br>
Sometimes I tape their shows in advance, so they can fast forward through them...and I hear my 6, say to my 9, "Hey, I like that commercial!"<br><br>
My 15 year old thinks advertising is a huge waste of money. He is certain that it doesn't affect HIM.<br><br>
During the week, I let them Zoom & Reading Rainbow only, but I have noticed that even those shows now have little blips "sponsored by Kellogg" etc.

 

[GhostUser]

Shopping overwhelms me. Frustrates me.<br><br><br><br>
Well, with the exclusion of food shopping. I actually find grocery shopping to be...comforting...relaxing. Ugh, I feel almost embarrassed and unhip in admitting that. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[mushroom]

I love food shopping, meal planning etc.!!!

 

[mushroom]

Especially now that all of my babies are in school!!

 

[stonecrest]

i hate shopping with a passion. i haven't been to a mall in the longest time, except to catch a movie there.<br><br><br><br>
i think shopping as a disease is a cop out, like many of the other so called "diseases" that doctors come up with. sure, people can become addicted to the internet and shopping and even powerpuff girls, but i don't think that every single possible addiction should be labelled a disease. if people can't stop shopping, i think this is their own fault. i mean, there's certainly a big difference between something like shopping addiction and alcoholism.

 

[mushroom]

"if people can't stop shopping, i think this is their own fault"<br><br>
Stonecrest, that does not make sense. If someone can't stop ANYTHING then they CAN'T STOP. How could it be their own fault? It appears as though they should be able to stop...it seems illogical that the "can't" but I say, look at the evidence...their lives often become a total mess because of their behavior. A healthy person wouldnt do that to himself or herself. I don't know that I would say it is a disease, but I don't know that I would say alcoholism is a disease, either...I would consider both to be addictions. I think both should be treated with compassion, treatment and consequences.

 

[stonecrest]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block"><i>Originally posted by mushroom</i><br><br><b>"if people can't stop shopping, i think this is their own fault"<br><br>
Stonecrest, that does not make sense. If someone can't stop ANYTHING then they CAN'T STOP. How could it be their own fault?</b></div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
whose fault is it then, yours? mine? of course it's their fault. someday down the road, we may categorize just about every "abnormal" activity with some kind of medical jargon - but that doesn't take responsibility away from the fact that it's their own doing. did their genetic makeup cause it? maybe. or a brain imbalance? maybe as well. but it's still their responsibility for their actions.

 

[GhostUser]

Shopaholic. Yep, that's me <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[Skylark]

I go for things on sale. Today I went in to Marcs and only bought what I went in for. That doesn't always happen. I can spend so much time in second hand clothing stores and then buy the stuff that's not what I went in to find.

 

[mushroom]

I don't think it is someone's fault if they have a brain imbalance, but what I do think, is that many people have a very hard time with delayed gratification. So, buying shoes now, or taking a drink now...feels better than waking up out of debt or without a hangover, tomorrow.<br><br>
I don't think ANYONE needs to be "blamed" but I do think some people need help. Maybe, credit card companies shouldn't be allowed to send out cards unsolicited for starters...maybe alcohol companies need to be held accountable for the havoc that their drug creates? Things have changed very fast in the past hundred years...maybe we all haven't been able to evolve so quickly. I am just wondering out loud, but as humans spent so long being hunter-gatherers and women were the primary gatherers...maybe by shopping, our brain thinks it is simply gathering. It does seem like women like to shop more than men.

 

[GhostUser]

Interesting observation Mushroom. To a point I believe you are right.