You had a bad day at work. This week just isn’t going your way. On the ride home you stop by the store and pick out some useless sweater that will never be worn. But, for some reason it makes you feel better to drop that $50. This unfortunately means you have fallen victim to something we all experience – retail therapy.
Retail therapy has nothing to do with the items we buy, but an attempt to soothe certain emotions we haven’t quite fully acknowledged. It’s those moments of stress or sadness that shopping offers a quick hit of control, pleasure or, perhaps, just distraction. Inevitably, however, that relief fades fast, leaving you guilty and ashamed.
So why do we keep searching the shelves even when we know the fix is just temporary? When we shop, our brains release dopamine – a quick moment of “this feels good, we should do it again.” It’s not even the purchase that gives us the biggest relief, it’s the anticipation of shopping itself. The scrolling, browsing and imagining of the whole experience. That’s why it is so addicting – it gives the illusion of solving a problem. But really all we are doing is running away from sitting in discomfort.
Behind all of these impulsive and unnecessary buys are emotions we don’t want to deal with. By shopping, we are offered a quick escape from reality. We may even feel that these items are a way to fix the life we lead. The truth, however, is that no purchase can mend a broken brain. Adding things to your cart is merely a coping mechanism, not a solution.
That momentary rush inevitably wears off, especially when that credit card bill comes in the mail. That happiness quickly gets replaced by emptiness, only fueling the emotional spiral. And the cycle continues. Buy. Regret. Rinse. Repeat.
The real way to beat retail therapy is to face head-on the problems that actually exist. So, the next time you think you just need those new jeans ask yourself – am I just trying to avoid my emotions?
