Everyone has problems that they face in their lives and different ways to deal with those problems: going to therapy or listening to music being the most common coping mechanisms. One of the most dangerous ways of dealing with problems is retail therapy, which is when people use shopping as a way to cope with their problems instead of facing them. It isn’t so much that shopping is a terrible thing to do; it is that if a person goes beyond their means they could end up in massive credit card debt or unable to pay their bills. Even with this dangerous form of therapy, 70% of people do believe retail therapy can help with mental health and 58% of Americans actually use retail therapy to cope with their emotions. When used in moderation, retail therapy can really help your mental health.
Though shopping can be a good form of therapy, it can go south fast. If retail therapy is not done in moderation it can lead to financial strain and compulsive shopping behaviors. It can form an addiction which causes another problem in your life just when you were trying to fix the problems you had before. When retail therapy is done right, it can have great benefits and can really have an impact on your emotions. To be clear, this article is about indulging in appropriate and fun retail therapy, not disordered shopping addictions.
The only requirement to go shopping is money– and some people don’t have that. To earn money, people need to work, and to work, people need motivation. It is hard to be motivated when you are in a depressive state. Retail therapy can help you to stay motivated to earn money. If you find something you really want, but you don’t have enough money, it gives you motivation to work for it. Not only are you distracted by working for your money, but you have something to look forward to afterwards. Shopping can be a great reward for your hard work.
This form of therapy also gives you a sense of control. Having to make your shopping decisions gives a personal sense of control. Sometimes in life, you don’t have control over what situations occur, so being able to purchase something that you desire can fulfill that need of control and lift your spirits.
The distraction of shopping also helps ease anxiety. When you are walking around stores or online shopping, you are more worried about what you want to buy or what store you want to shop at next rather than dealing with the anxiety of other events going on around you. Even going to the grocery store can help by being distracting, especially when you see new food that you would like to try! It’s always good to try to take your mind off of unpleasant situations, even more so when you are a person who tends to overthink things. Shopping is a great way to do that!
However, you have to be careful with how much you spend. Retail therapy is not an accredited form of therapy and is usually not recommended by professionals. However, it does not hurt to buy something for yourself every once in a while when you’re feeling down. The positives for retail therapy far outweigh the negatives. Next time you have a bad day try to shop the negative away!
