Retail Therapy
Audrey Hepburn
I have learned so much about myself from writing this blog! I can say that there was a time in my life where I felt depressed so I used my outward appearance to show a positive side of myself. My thought process was if I look good on the outside then maybe people won’t know that I feel bad. When I would get anxious I would find myself scrolling through a number of fashion websites. I would start with one and would exhaust the pages of dress options and then go to the next. My therapist at the time called it a shopping compulsion, and after I went through every website I became more flustered and anxious than I was when I began. The weird thing was that I never actually bought much... I was just “looking” most of the time and I guess it made me feel better. I usually started this “retail therapy” when I would know I had an event approaching, even if it was 6 months away, and I wanted to find the perfect thing to wear. Fortunately, I have recognized this and made the necessary changes!
Anyway, retail therapy generally has more to do with the reason behind shopping rather than the actual object being purchased. Endorphin levels rise when we enter into a store and have a motivation to to buy new clothing. By the time we exit the store our endorphins are released and dopamine levels have risen, and we regain the desire to do it all over again, but never fully satisfied. People generally participate in retail therapy to avoid negative feelings or to be in control.
Retail therapy sometimes involves compulsive buying disorder which is related to anxiety but also associated with eating disorders, mood disorders, and substance abuse. The person who has compulsive buying disorder often has intense anxiety before shopping and then feels great relief from anxiety after purchasing items. This turns into a cycle of buying and also feeling guilty over time.
How can we help ourselves and others? It takes time and effort to work through anxiety and other disorders that might be associated with retail therapy. Recognizing the problem is the first way to help. Working on the cause and root of the problem is the next step in this process. I became aware of my retail therapy ways, and this helped me to recognize the next time I began the process, so I was able to stop myself and think about why my anxiety was triggered and find other ways to cope.
It is really interesting to see the ways in which the fashion industry can negatively impact your mental health. Becoming aware of these issues can help you to work on your own problems or possibly help someone else with theirs. The mental health crisis in our country is a big deal, and being educated on the various issues can save people from experiencing greater depression and anxiety.