Hey there, viewers! We all love online shopping. It’s so easy and fun. You get to scroll through
thousands of products, choose the one you like, add it to your shopping car, and place the order.
There’s no need to step out of your home! But that’s also what makes online shopping
so addictive. In today’s video, we’ll be talking about signs you’re addicted to online shopping.
1. Negative emotions When you go online and look at all the various
products you can buy at the click of a button, you find that it gives you a happy feeling. But
have you ever thought that you might be shopping online to shield yourself from negative thoughts?
After all, shopping makes you feel good. It’s like instant gratification.
On top of that, online shopping has another thrill you get to experience.
There are few feelings better than when your package arrives and you get to open it.
That quick rush of excitement is truly unique. Unfortunately, you can also get
addicted to that thrill, especially when you’re trying to avoid certain negative emotions.
Negative emotions can be tiring on the mind, and it’s normal for you to want to feel good.
Online shopping allows instant gratification and pushes negative emotions to the side. As a result,
you end up getting addicted to online shopping. If you find yourself going to Amazon every time
you feel a bit sad, then it’s a sign you’re addicted to online shopping.
People with low self-esteem also tend to turn to online shopping. It helps distract
you from being anxious and gives you a high you would want to crave repeatedly. People who are
trying to manage their negative emotions with online shopping are certainly addicted to it.
2. Preoccupation with shopping For most people, budgeting is a part of
their daily lives. This way, they can keep a track of their finances. But for some,
most of their thoughts center around shopping. They spend the whole day thinking about what
they can buy online. If this describes you, you have an addiction to online shopping.
If you end up thinking about shopping or plan purchases throughout the day,
then you are certainly preoccupied with shopping. This can become a serious problem, especially
if there are more pressing matters at hand. Another sign you can look out for is when you
find yourself thinking about shopping while in a conversation with people around you.
Instead of paying attention to what is being said, you’re thinking about what you want to buy.
3. Shopping in secret Another sign you’re addicted to online
shopping is when you chose to do it secretly. Usually, when people buy something for themselves,
they tend to share that news with their family and friends. They want people to know about the
fancy new gadget or brand-new clothes they bought. You’re proud of your purchase and
want to flash it in front of friends. While this habit can be ugly, the exact opposite is also bad.
People who already shop too much don’t want to spread the news out of fear they’ll be called
out for their excessive spending. They also feel guilty for giving in to their addiction.
By concealing their purchases, they avoid disappointing the people in
their lives while also feeling better about themselves. This only drives them deeper
down the empty hole of addiction. 4. Not being able to stop shopping
A sign that you’re addicted to online shopping is when you literally cannot
stop. It doesn’t matter how hard you try. You just keep going back to that same website.
Sometimes, you may stop shopping for a bit, just to go back days later. This is usually
due to some sort of stress or pressure you’re experiencing in your personal life.
Some people are unable to stop shopping because they remain in denial over their problem.
Considering that nearly everyone does some shopping or the other, it’s very easy to brush off
your addiction as just normal shopping patterns. But it could end up hurting more in the long run.
People who have relapsed into online shopping addiction after staying away
for some time may try different tactics, such as increasing their shopping gradually. This way,
they end up believing that they do not actually have a problem anymore when in reality they’re
still indulging in a harmful habit. Before we continue, are you feeling
stressed? You may want to watch this video. Check out 11 Silent Stress Signs That Are
Killing You Slowly. Now back to our list of Signs You Have an Online Shopping Addiction...
5. Compromising values for the sake of shopping Most of us have a set of values that we live by.
If you don’t have some sort of value system, your life can turn into chaos.
If you’re dismissing your own values just to shop online, that’s another indication you
have a serious addiction. Even when the effects are harmful for you, you still continue to shop
by making choices that you’ll end up regretting. For instance, one of the problems you will face
is spending more than you earn. If you’re unable to pay off the credit
card bills you generate from your online shopping, you’ll end up in a lot of debt.
You may also start borrowing money from others. To fulfill your need for shopping,
you may even end up taking money from your friends and family. This will cause
irreparable damage to your relationships. Some may even stop paying utility bills or
other important bills in order to continue with their online sprees.
This will also hurt your well-being and end up causing damage that is hard to recover from.
6. Feeling guilty There may be a few times you feel guilty
about the purchases you’ve made. This is usually because they’re items you have no real need for,
but went ahead and bought just for the thrill of it. That new phone accessory you just bought? It
was way out of your price range! Now you feel terrible about spending money on it.
Of course, we all buy things we don’t need every now and then. But people who have chronic guilt
about shopping are suffering from an online addiction. These people continue shopping
despite feeling guilty because their need for buying stuff is far greater than their guilt.
7. Having to shop just to feel normal People with an addiction to online
shopping tend to feel gross when they haven’t made a purchase in a while. They end up going
online just so they can buy something and feel normal again. It’s like taking a drug.
Those who don’t have a problem find online shopping a mostly enjoyable experience. T—-hey
look at the various options available and buy something within their budget.
For those addicted, it’s a compulsion to spend money. If you don’t,
you end up feeling angry and frustrated. You may even take it out on the people around you.
You won’t even get any joy out of anything you do. This frustration is usually the reason why people
with addiction relapse into online shopping when they’re trying to quit. It’s not fun for them to
stay away from shopping. At the same time, it’s not even fun to do the shopping. It’s an itch
they need to scratch for temporary relief. Without that relief, they can become very
agitated and cause issues in their own life that they may regret later.
Although the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has not officially recognized shopping
addiction as a distinct disorder, it’s still a serious issue. Shopping addiction can be a
bit difficult to manage as we have to make purchases in our everyday life.
Plus, with smartphones, easy accessibility of the internet and almost every product being available
online, it’s a difficult task to manage this addiction. At the same time, it’s not impossible!
Your first step would be to uninstall and block all e-commerce apps and websites from your phone.
Next up, remove your saved credit card information from your favorite websites. Make it difficult for
you to shop at a click. By deleting all your saved credit card details, you’re forcing yourself to go
and get your wallet every time you have to shop. . –You should also clean your room. Believe me,
it’s going to help A LOT! There’s actual research by experts on this.
They say by cleaning your room, you’re less likely to make a purchase. People living in
cluttered spaces are more likely to impulse buy. Last but definitely not least, when things
get way out of control, you can always seek the help of a professional for your addiction.
Again, online shopping can be fun, but you never want to overdo it. Because it’s so simple,
it can easily spiral into an addiction. Did you find this video interesting? Let’s keep the
conversation going with a couple more videos on addiction, shall we? Here’s what you need to know…
Learn What You’re Addicted To Based On Your Zodiac Sign. Or how about Why Screen
Time For Kids Needs To Be Controlled? Go ahead, click one. Or better yet,
watch both, and learn more about addiction. Do you feel like you’re addicted to online
shopping? Did you notice any of these signs? Let us know in the comments below!