Happiful February 2020

More documents

Recommendations

Info

How to conquer your shopping £ addiction £ Compulsive spending can lead to psychological problems, relationship difficulties, and serious debt. If you find it hard to resist temptation, here are some strategies to help control your urge to splurge Writing | Wendy Gregory Illustrating | Rosan Magar Addiction is defined as a compulsive engagement in rewarding behaviour, despite adverse consequences. A bit of retail therapy might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you hear this, but thanks to apps, instant pay, and targeted advertising, shopping is easier than ever, and most of us occasionally make impulse buys – especially during the sales. Often, we regret it when we get home, realising we’ve wasted money on something we don’t need. But for an addict, shopping can be used to avoid feelings of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, or boredom. The act of buying something, in a shop or online, produces a surge of adrenaline and dopamine, making it feel exciting and pleasurable. It can also relieve anxiety and stress, but only temporarily. Soon after, the shopping addict is likely to experience guilt and shame, leading to further low mood and anxiety. As with all addictions, it’s usually a secretive activity. There will be a progressive loss of control, and increasing compulsive buying, even though the addict knows it is causing them problems.
The adverse consequences are not limited to psychological and emotional difficulty, but can lead to relationship problems, and serious debt, as the addict continues to buy things that they don’t need, on credit. Because of the instant gratification it brings, making impulse purchases masks the true cause of the anxiety, and may prevent the addict from seeking more long-term solutions or treatment for their anxiety. Because so few people with a compulsive overspending problem report it or seek help, it’s very hard to know exactly how many people experience this. Some studies, however, estimate that between 30% and 50% of Europeans suffer from at least mild to moderate lack of control when spending. Whether you feel you have a serious problem with shopping addiction, or whether you would just like to resist occasional impulse purchases, there are strategies to help you break that pattern. OUT AND ABOUT Give yourself time If you’re tempted to make an impulse purchase, tell yourself that you’ll wait a couple of days and if you still really want it and can afford it, then you’ll go back to get it. Make a list Even going to the supermarket for the weekly food shop can lead to overspending, so do the old-fashioned thing and make a shopping list before you go – and stick to it. There is also something quite satisfying about getting to cross things out on your list! Just take cash To avoid temptation when you are out shopping, just take the amount of cash you need. Leave cards at home. That way you can’t make an impulse buy. ONLINE SHOPPING It’s so easy to scroll through eBay or ASOS every evening, and many people find it extremely hard to break the pattern, in spite of escalating debts. Online sites exacerbate the problem by constantly coming up with suggestions for items you might also like, and it’s all too easy to click on them. So how can you get out of such addictive routines? Cold turkey The fastest way to treat any addiction is to go cold turkey, which means abruptly stopping completely. To do this you would need to delete those sites from your devices, and seek other ways to control the anxiety. Gradual withdrawal If that’s too difficult, it can be done more gradually. You could limit the time you spend browsing. For example, stick to 30 minutes at a set time every day, then browse every alternate day, gradually reducing it each week. Do something constructive with the time you’d normally spend online (exercise, cooking, writing, etc). Distraction If you can’t resist, then before you hit buy, get up and do something that distracts you for 10 minutes. Most cravings subside in that time. Or put it in your basket and resolve not to check out until the next day. You will probably find that your urge to splurge goes. Have a positive plan Add up the amount you’ve spent shopping online over the past month. Work out what this amounts to in a year and make a goal to save the money instead, to put it towards something you really want (a new car, dancing lessons, a deposit for a house, a holiday). Help and support If you’ve tried all of this and still feel you have a problem, contact Citizens Advice for support with debt management. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can really help to find alternative, more positive ways of managing anxiety and low self-esteem as well. Wendy Gregory is a counselling psychologist and writer, as well as a regular guest psychologist on BBC Talk Radio. 0000 0000 0000 0000
Page 1 and 2:
DEVOTED TO MENTAL HEALTH LOVE ON TH
Page 3 and 4:
Heart to heart As the incredible Ru
Page 5 and 6:
66 16 Culture 42 Things to do in Fe
Page 7 and 8:
FIND HELP CRISIS SUPPORT If you are
Page 9 and 10: SEX New pill could spice up your se
Page 11 and 12: FRIENDSHIP IRL connections with fri
Page 13 and 14: Going up Dance fever According to a
Page 15: DISTRACTION THERAPY Try focusing on
Page 18 and 19: “I didn’t know men could be so
Page 20 and 21: about his lifelong battle with gene
Page 22 and 23: I feel accepted for who I am. That
Page 24 and 25: How to build a healthy relationship
Page 26 and 27: Photography | Thai An “ Self-comp
Page 28 and 29: Tackling trauma… with Grace As a
Page 30 and 31: BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AVAILABLE NO
Page 32 and 33: If you look at all the behavioural
Page 34: How to take care of your financial
Page 37 and 38: FINANCIAL WELLBEING IMPROVEMENT CHE
Page 39 and 40: TRUE LIFE I tore up the script of m
Page 41 and 42: Photography | Amy-Rose Photography
Page 43 and 44: Images | Dolittle: Universal Pictur
Page 45 and 46: ‘If your confidence is holding yo
Page 47 and 48: In it to QUIT it A smoking addictio
Page 49 and 50: Making the decision to stop smoking
Page 51 and 52: LET’S GET PHYSICAL We all know th
Page 53 and 54: Top tips to support your mental and
Page 55 and 56: On a mid-week afternoon, the low wi
Page 57 and 58: TRUE LIFE How being bipolar was a b
Page 59: Find out more about Dan at dankeele
Page 63 and 64: Make it mindful Embrace the magic o
Page 65 and 66: OUR EXPERT SAYS… Orange & Carrot
Page 67 and 68: For some people, when they have low
Page 69 and 70: “My life is like other people’s
Page 71 and 72: Reading the comments made me realis
Page 73 and 74: Images | Isle of Paradise “The re
Page 75 and 76: Counselling Q I don’t know who I
Page 77 and 78: READ THE JOB DESCRIPTION One of the
Page 79 and 80: Event images | Live Well Events to
Page 81 and 82: In many areas, the advice feels mor
Page 83 and 84: Linda’s piano Linda is an accompl
Page 85 and 86: Brian is one such beneficiary of th
Page 87 and 88: TRUE LIFE From client to counsellor
Page 89 and 90: I was intrigued as to how my suppre
Page 91 and 92: Photography | Christian Buehner “
show all

Happiful February 2020

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?