Shopping Addiction

Shopping addition research papers examine the psychology behind those that shop. The psychological aspects should be explored and it can be debated within your paper as to whether shopping addition is a disorder or a character flaw. Have Paper Masters do the research and come up with what the experts say in a custom written paper.

Shopping addiction has gained a great deal of attention from the media and medical profession in recent years. Typically defined as a conscious impulse to make unnecessary purchases, some consider shopping addiction a serious disorder that may be treated, while others consider it a character flaw and evidence of irresponsibility. This paper will examine these views of shopping addiction, including their legal implications. In addition, it will demonstrate the following:

• Women shop more than men do
• Women are the vast majority of shopping addicts
• Research proposes that shopping addiction is character flaw, rather than a disease

Sometimes referred to as compulsive shopping, shopping addiction is currently being studied by an American Psychological Association panel and will probably be included as an actual impulse control disorder. An impulse-control disorder refers to "the failure to resist an impulse, drive, or temptation to perform an act that is harmful to the person or others". In addition, victims of impulse-control disorder typically "feels an increasing sense of tension or arousal before committing the act, and then experiences pleasure, gratification or relief at the time of committing the act". However, to be a shopping addict, a person must be aware that they are purchasing goods they do not need, their shopping habit impairs their job, creates family problems, and/or leads to financial problems.

However, one may contend that this impulsive condition to purchase goods is actually the inability to manage one's finances. That is, everyone goes into a store and wants to have many of the items offered on the shelves or in the showroom. However, most have the ability to understand that they cannot afford these items or do not need these items, and refrain from the purchase. It is my opinion that those who are unable to refrain from unnecessary and/or unaffordable purchases are financially irresponsible, not inflicted with a disorder. Instead of drugs and therapy, these irresponsible spenders need their credit revoked, a lesson in money management, and a support group such as Debtors Anonymous.

Not everyone in the medical community agrees that shopping addiction is an actual disorder. Many psychiatrists have noted that many so-called shopping addicts do not display standard neurobiological symptoms. For example, Dr. Elissa Benedek, a past president of the APA and now a clinical psychiatrist at the University of Michigan Medical School, contends that compulsive shopping behavior is "simple folly that is basically untreatable," rather than an illness.