Daly City, CA—Memorial Day shopping may be dismal this year. With dropping retail sales in the U.S. and high unemployment, shoppers are thinking twice about what they buy. But for 6% of American women, shopping will not be sacrificed, because they admit they are compulsive buyers.At the Serramonte Mall, senior citizen Precy Offril shops for clothes.
“Syempre seniors na kami, may mga sayawan,” Offril said. “Bibili talaga ako ng mga magagandang damit.”
Buying expensive clothes may make Offril happy, but her shopping habits are driving her husband, Bob, up a wall.
“Everything’s charge, charge, charge!” Bob said, referring to his wife’s overuse of their credit cards.
Experts say compulsive shopping becomes more pronounced in times of crisis.
“It’s a quick mood lifter,” said Dr. Jei Africa, a behavior specialist. “Especially for women, who enjoy the whole shopping experience. You feel better when you’re wearing something nice, when you look good, even when the situation is bad.”
But over-shopping could end up making a shopper feel regret, guilt, or shame. Jessica Ferrer, a Filipino teenager shopping after school with her friends, said she shops ‘til she drops, even though she does not have money. But at the end of the day she feels worse.
“I feel bad because my mom gets mad. She ends up paying for it,” Ferrer said.
Dr. Africa says splurging could be likened to an addiction, and there are signs to watch out for.
“If you are losing sleep over things you can and cannot buy, that’s not healthy anymore. If you cannot control yourself when you go to the mall, you need to have someone remind you that you have power over money and your behavior,” Dr. Africa said.
While shopping offers a quick mood fix, Dr. Africa warns that compulsive shopping has long term destructive effects, especially if one spends more than she earns.
