Debt from Shopping Addiction

Shopping addiction is the compulsive desire to shop

Debt from shopping addiction can be devastating. Debt from shopping addiction can persist long after a spree or over a long term period.

They may include over-indebtedness, theft or defalcation of money, defaulted loans, and general financial trouble. Sufferers often come into conflict with the law.

Shopping addiction, shopaholism or Oniomania is slowly becoming a recognized disorder due to increased media attention. Similar to other compulsive behaviours, sufferers often experience the highs and lows associated with addiction.

Shopping generates a mood of satisfaction for the person, seems to give their life a meaning and lets them forget about their sorrows. Usually back at home the feeling of a personal reward has already gone. To compensate, the addicted person goes shopping again. The bought goods will be hidden or destroyed, because the person concerned feels ashamed of their addiction and tries to conceal it. Without psychotherapy this disorder can persist a whole life or until the debt from shopping addiction causes the insolvency of the addicted person.

The reasons for debt from shopping addiction are the following:

• Fears
• Depressions
• emotional emptiness
• low self-esteem.

The shopping addiction is an attempt to handle these feelings. The person with the shopping addiction gets into a vicious circle. Negative emotions like anger and stress lead to purchasing something. The purchase leads to feelings of regret and depressions after a short time. The addicted person wants to cope with these feelings through another purchase.

The roots of shopping addiction can often be found in the youth of the addicted person:

• Lack of affection and acceptance
• Lack of love and security from their parent
• Lack allowing to express their feelings freely
• A feeling that they are not important as a person.

Some people suffered as a child from material need and become shopping-addicted due to an ongoing sentiment of deprivation. The purchase becomes a replacement for affection. The so-called shopoholics have not learned yet to cope with conflicts. Problems in the family, worries for their job or loneliness is repressed by buying something.

Women in particular want to fight their unhappiness with their appearance by buying clothes, make-up and jewellery, men tend to buy technical equipment, electronics, watches, cars or computers instead.

Social conditions may also play an important role. Especially in capitalist societies, buying is an important part of daily life. Credit cards facilitate the spending of money as well as mail orders via catalogues or the Internet. What differentiates shopping addiction from healthy shopping is the compulsive, destructive nature of the buying.

How common is shopping addiction?

It is difficult to ascertain the full extent of this problem as statistics have not been compiled, although it is known that more people are identifying this as a problem and seeking professional help.

How do I know if have shopping addiction?

As with all addictions, the resulting overwhelming sense of shame, remorse and guilt accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, lead to despair. Often the remedy for the despair is more addictive behaviour resulting in more self destructive feelings. The consequences of shopping addiction are obvious: high levels of debt, fear of discovery and retribution leading to more denial and desperate acts to cover up the behaviour. For those closely connected to the sufferer life becomes frightening and unpredictable with a growing sense of uselessness and the belief that the sufferer is deliberately causing chaos and a feeling of desperation sets in. Complete the questionnaire on this web site to help you decide if you have a problem.

Can shopping addiction be cured?

Many sufferers are multi addicted, often abusing prescribed drugs or alcohol in addition to the compulsive spending. The despair can be ended through successful treatment and people can be restored to normal life. As with other addictions, success follows an honest admission of the problem and the seeking of help from others.

Links to shopping addiction specialists:

• Addictions - www.addictions.co.uk
• Priory healthcare - www.prioryhealthcare.com
• Wikepedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oniomania

Common questions arising from debt from shopping addiction are the following:

• Can an IVA sort out my debt from shopping addiction?
• Can Bankruptcy be a cure for my debt from shopping addiction?
• Can debt management be a cure for my debt from shopping addiction?
• Can a trust deed be a solution for my debt from shopping addiction?
• Can I still get a mortgage if I have debt from shopping addiction?

If you or someone you know has an uncontrollable passion for shopping that is turning into an addiction please call 0800 074 6918 so you can talk to one of our debt management specialists.

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