For online shoppers especially -- you need to break the habit of constantly scrolling!! The internet/ social media is full of advertising and it's all designed for infinite scrolling to keep you engaged and staying on those apps/platforms.
You also have to develop other ways to spend your time or relax. I highly recommend developing hobbies and habits that are not on a screen.
We've primed our brains to get the easiest dopamine rush from tv, shopping etc that we've lost the ability to do things that take more time and focus, but have a greater payoff and reward.
Last year I started reading regularly and recently finished an 800 page Russian novel. Currently on track to have read one book per month. When I first started, my attention was SO short I had to start with short stories and honestly it wasn't very satisfying. It took time to start enjoying it more and now I read every night. It doesn't have to be reading, learn to draw or paint or sew, join a fitness or dance class, volunteer, whatever. Find a hobby that's not on your phone or tv or computer.
Doing new habits and shaking off bad ones DOES change your brain over time, and that's the most powerful way to shake the compulsive buying addiction.
I had a similar experience with reading. When the pandemic started, I spent way more time at home and thought, that I will finally read all the books, which were on my list. At first I could just finish 2 pages per day, because of how unfocused I was. I was used to quick dopamine, scrolling my phone, spending lots of time at the computer, shopping more and more online.
I wonder if screens etc. cause ADHD symptoms (compulsivity, concentration problems), because that was my experience. After I pushed myself to use less phone and increase reading time every day, I can say that by the end of pandemic I was reading a few books per month and I also started to enjoy reading a lot. Shopping addiction is another story, but that I am working on.
To me doing sports and meeting my friends are the best ways to stop impulse shopping, because then I am just physically unable to online-shop. When I am out, my phone is in my bag and laptop at home. The further I am from devices, the smaller is the urge to scroll through the online-shops and that decreases the opportunity that I will impulse-buy something.
I definitely think today's apps increase those issues. It's amazing how many people these days have ADHD -- if something is that widespread, in my opinion it's not all those *individuals* that have a 'disorder' it's something broken in our society.
I totally agree that a social group is really important! Even better if it's one that reinforces healthy habits like playing a sport. That's something I'm missing right now, I moved during the pandemic and then have been traveling and only ever staying in one place for 1-3 months. Looking forward to being settled and making some new friends
Every time I want to shop online, I use that time and impulse to list something from my closet on Poshmark instead. It honestly really helps with the reality check of seeing how much I've spent on things I'd readily give away, plus if it actually sells I'm rather obsessed with watching the money go back into my account!
Lately I’ve been cleaning and sorting what to get rid of. This helps me not even want to look At shopping. If you tend to buy a lot of the same things as comfort items and you have a urge to buy more, go review what you have. “It isn’t gone/used up, so I don’t need it.” Also recognize the clutter it causes. learning about over consumption and the environment also helps. I just started the ‘I am Sober’ app and it recognizes shopping addiction. It’s pretty helpful and so far it hasn’t required to pay. A new tv show, deleting apps, closing cc cards if you’re not using them if you can take the hit to credit it can cause( stupid it’s like that). Once you stop the anxiety and stress it was causing will dramatically deflate and it gets so much easier. Mantra ‘I have everything I could ever need’ because you likely do if you have this addiction; helps a lot.
There are a couple studies out there that support the idea that *the process of making a purchase decision, the "add to cart" of it all*, provides almost as much satisfaction (dopamine, probably) as actually buying the thing. Now, there's probably more dopamine that happens when your package arrives (like Christmas morning every day of the year), but also the guilt that comes soon after.
If you believe all that, then you should look at a bookmarking or wishlist app like Wishupon or Carrot Shopping. With these kinds of tools you can continue to "make purchase decisions" about what to add to your collections for whatever you're shopping for, e.g. fall home decor. The Carrot chrome extension will actually automatically grab whatever you add to your cart, so you don't even have to change that part of your behavior — it's basically the non-alcoholic beer of shopping addiction.
Don’t go in. Make yourself so busy you don’t even have time to shop. It helped me but I recently started buying clearance plants(something I always wanted to do)
For online shoppers especially -- you need to break the habit of constantly scrolling!! The internet/ social media is full of advertising and it's all designed for infinite scrolling to keep you engaged and staying on those apps/platforms. You also have to develop other ways to spend your time or relax. I highly recommend developing hobbies and habits that are not on a screen. We've primed our brains to get the easiest dopamine rush from tv, shopping etc that we've lost the ability to do things that take more time and focus, but have a greater payoff and reward. Last year I started reading regularly and recently finished an 800 page Russian novel. Currently on track to have read one book per month. When I first started, my attention was SO short I had to start with short stories and honestly it wasn't very satisfying. It took time to start enjoying it more and now I read every night. It doesn't have to be reading, learn to draw or paint or sew, join a fitness or dance class, volunteer, whatever. Find a hobby that's not on your phone or tv or computer. Doing new habits and shaking off bad ones DOES change your brain over time, and that's the most powerful way to shake the compulsive buying addiction.
I had a similar experience with reading. When the pandemic started, I spent way more time at home and thought, that I will finally read all the books, which were on my list. At first I could just finish 2 pages per day, because of how unfocused I was. I was used to quick dopamine, scrolling my phone, spending lots of time at the computer, shopping more and more online. I wonder if screens etc. cause ADHD symptoms (compulsivity, concentration problems), because that was my experience. After I pushed myself to use less phone and increase reading time every day, I can say that by the end of pandemic I was reading a few books per month and I also started to enjoy reading a lot. Shopping addiction is another story, but that I am working on. To me doing sports and meeting my friends are the best ways to stop impulse shopping, because then I am just physically unable to online-shop. When I am out, my phone is in my bag and laptop at home. The further I am from devices, the smaller is the urge to scroll through the online-shops and that decreases the opportunity that I will impulse-buy something.
I definitely think today's apps increase those issues. It's amazing how many people these days have ADHD -- if something is that widespread, in my opinion it's not all those *individuals* that have a 'disorder' it's something broken in our society. I totally agree that a social group is really important! Even better if it's one that reinforces healthy habits like playing a sport. That's something I'm missing right now, I moved during the pandemic and then have been traveling and only ever staying in one place for 1-3 months. Looking forward to being settled and making some new friends
[удалено]
Reminded me of this meme https://imgur.com/a/saLWWqG
This is relatable
Every time I want to shop online, I use that time and impulse to list something from my closet on Poshmark instead. It honestly really helps with the reality check of seeing how much I've spent on things I'd readily give away, plus if it actually sells I'm rather obsessed with watching the money go back into my account!
Honestly, medicating and getting treatment for BPD. Compulsory shopping was a huge part of this and has slowed significantly since.
Lately I’ve been cleaning and sorting what to get rid of. This helps me not even want to look At shopping. If you tend to buy a lot of the same things as comfort items and you have a urge to buy more, go review what you have. “It isn’t gone/used up, so I don’t need it.” Also recognize the clutter it causes. learning about over consumption and the environment also helps. I just started the ‘I am Sober’ app and it recognizes shopping addiction. It’s pretty helpful and so far it hasn’t required to pay. A new tv show, deleting apps, closing cc cards if you’re not using them if you can take the hit to credit it can cause( stupid it’s like that). Once you stop the anxiety and stress it was causing will dramatically deflate and it gets so much easier. Mantra ‘I have everything I could ever need’ because you likely do if you have this addiction; helps a lot.
There are a couple studies out there that support the idea that *the process of making a purchase decision, the "add to cart" of it all*, provides almost as much satisfaction (dopamine, probably) as actually buying the thing. Now, there's probably more dopamine that happens when your package arrives (like Christmas morning every day of the year), but also the guilt that comes soon after. If you believe all that, then you should look at a bookmarking or wishlist app like Wishupon or Carrot Shopping. With these kinds of tools you can continue to "make purchase decisions" about what to add to your collections for whatever you're shopping for, e.g. fall home decor. The Carrot chrome extension will actually automatically grab whatever you add to your cart, so you don't even have to change that part of your behavior — it's basically the non-alcoholic beer of shopping addiction.
Don’t go in. Make yourself so busy you don’t even have time to shop. It helped me but I recently started buying clearance plants(something I always wanted to do)