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Shopping to calm or boost your emotions is known as retail therapy. It's driven by a desire to feel better rather than a need, such as buying food.
This practice is also known as comfort purchasing, stress purchasing, or compensatory purchasing. Shopping is a component of most people's everyday life.
It not only helps satisfy our fundamental necessities but also allows us to reward ourselves every now and again. It might feel like a task that needs to be completed at times, but it can also be a good, joyful experience that helps reduce tension in our life.
Many of us can relate to treating ourselves to something nice after a tough day at work or an emotional fight with a loved one. In some cases, retail therapy is used to deal with life's stressors.
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What is Retail Therapy?
Shopping with the intention of enhancing one's mood or disposition is known as retail therapy.
It's temporary behavior that's frequently observed in people during times of despair or stress. Items purchased during retail therapy sessions are commonly referred to as comfort purchases.
Retail therapy as a coping method is surprisingly widespread. According to a study, 62% of participants purchased products to reward themselves and ease their negative mood.
It's popular because it's not always a bad approach to dealing with emotional suffering. According to a study, shopping might be a long-lasting mood booster. As most people tend to stick to their budget, retail therapy can have a beneficial effect on mood, which is what keeps us going back. Retail therapy offers certain benefits, such as:
1) Confidence
A little therapy might can boost your self-esteem. It may also extend your viewpoint, allowing you to see more opportunities to improve your life or the lives of people you care about. Making such purchases directly adds to our sense of self and builds much-needed confidence.
2) Personal Control
Retail therapy can aid in the restoration of a sense of personal control and the prevention of prolonged unhappiness. Making your own purchases may also assist in alleviating emotions of powerlessness that lead to despair.
3) Fueling Imagination
Shopping may fuel your imagination by providing you with actual visuals, aromas, and textures of the goods you seek. It might inspire you to think creatively and believe that you can make a difference in your life.
4) Enhances Social Values
Whether you're a shopaholic or new to shopping, retail therapy invites you into a social circle.
It's also about social networking and developing relationships between consumer retailers and customers. When you go shopping, you instinctively engage in conscious purchasing and shopping.
Why Does Shopping Make You Happy?
Shopping may be pleasurable, as it provides a respite from our daily life. Shopping helps us focus on one item at a time, creating a tunnel vision that lets us feel in control when other elements of life are not. Many people use impulsive buying and spending money as a coping method to feel better.
Shopping might help you feel more in control and calm. Researchers have also discovered that retail therapy may be used to interact with others. Another option to improve your mood is to go shopping, whether to visit a friend or just to be around other people at a store on your own.
When life feels out of control, shopping may feel empowered, which is exactly what we need. If your job is stressful, it may make sense to spend your hard-earned money on yourself. If you have a difficult relationship, buying something new to self-soothe makes you feel better in the moment and even long after the purchase.
Shopping Addiction vs Retail Therapy
The phrases retail therapy and shopping addiction are sometimes used interchangeably, but they have distinct connotations.
During retail therapy, you're in control of your spending and happy with your purchase or non-purchase decision. Shopping addiction, though, causes you to desire to buy goods even when you know you shouldn't.
Buyer's remorse (a feeling of regret after making a purchase) is common. Studies have shown that compulsive purchasers account for around 6-8% of all consumers. While shopping makes us feel happier, it's important to be mindful of our behavior.
Takeaway
Retail therapy is an emotional act of purchasing for pleasure. It's a method to relax or have fun doing and having something unusual. It can boost happiness by activating neurotransmitters like dopamine and endorphins. It also increases consumption choices and social value.
It's, however, easy to become addicted to the excitement that comes with shopping for new products. Recognize and discuss irrational drives to purchase repeatedly despite negative consequences with your healthcare professional or therapist.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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