Shopping Addiction: Causes, Signs, And Treatment Options

Compulsive buying disorder, also known as oniomania or shopping addiction, affects an estimated 5.8 percent of Americans at some point in their lifetime.

While shopping is a common activity, for some it can become a compulsive habit characterized by an uncontrollable pattern of purchasing unwanted or unneeded items.

Shopping addiction often develops in people with other mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, personality disorders, and substance use disorders.

Learn more about the causes and treatments of behavioral addictions

What Is A Shopping Addiction?

People often joke about turning to ‘retail therapy’ or shopping as an outlet to reduce stress, anxiety, or sadness. For some, however, shopping can become an addictive habit.

Shopping addiction, or compulsive buying, is an uncontrollable compulsion to purchase items, even when they are unwanted or unneeded.

Although not an official diagnosis, shopping addiction has been likened to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and impulse control disorders such as kleptomania and pyromania.

Additionally, while shopping addiction and hoarding disorder can overlap, they are distinct conditions. People with shopping addiction may compulsively purchase items and then discard, donate, or return them. The compulsion centers on the act of purchasing rather than accumulating.

People with hoarding disorder compulsively acquire and retain items regardless of their value. When both patterns are present, dual diagnosis treatment that addresses both conditions is most effective.

Who Develops Shopping Addiction?

While shopping addiction has historically been more commonly identified in women, more recent research suggests the gender gap may be narrowing, particularly as online shopping normalizes compulsive purchasing behaviors across all demographics. Men also may be underdiagnosed due to stigma around acknowledging compulsive buying behaviors.

What is known about shopping addiction:

• This addiction typically develops in young adulthood, before the age of 30.
• Shopping addiction is a controversial topic, with no clear agreement among mental health professionals as to whether this can be characterized as a disorder.
• Compulsive buying habits may run in families with similar shopping habits, or families with a history of mental health or substance use disorders.
• Shopping addiction frequently co-occurs with other types of disorders, such as depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, and nicotine dependence.

Signs Of A Shopping Addiction

Shopping for fun, or shopping very often, is not itself a sign of a shopping addiction. To identify a shopping addiction, it can help to know some of the understood signs of this compulsion.

Signs of a shopping addiction might include:

• using shopping as a way to cope with stress
• feeling euphoria or relief after shopping
• unsuccessful attempts to control or reduce how much you shop
• difficulty resisting the urge to purchase unneeded items
• continuing to purchase unneeded items despite financial or personal consequences
• getting into legal troubles as a result of shopping
• constantly thinking about shopping
• problems with work or school as a result of compulsive shopping

The hallmark sign of an addiction is continuing to engage in a behavior despite negative consequences—and feeling unable to control it.

For some, this can cause shame, embarrassment, and guilt. Unfortunately, if shopping becomes a way to cope with these feelings, this may develop into what can feel like an uncontrollable cycle.

Causes Of Shopping Addiction

Behavioral addictions, including shopping addiction, may be influenced by a variety of factors, including a person’s upbringing, their mental health, and their environment.

Although research on shopping addiction is limited, there is some evidence to suggest common characteristics of those who are affected by this addiction.

For instance, people with a shopping addiction are more likely to:

• have low self-esteem
• have anxiety or depression
• be impulsive
• be female
• be perfectionistic

The cause of a shopping addiction is largely believed to be psychological. However, this can run in families and may be influenced by a personal and family history of compulsive behaviors.

The digital retail environment has significantly lowered barriers to compulsive buying. One-click purchasing, algorithmically curated product recommendations, social media shopping integrations, and buy-now-pay-later services are designed specifically to reduce friction and encourage impulsive spending.

People who are already predisposed to compulsive buying may find these features difficult to resist.

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Consequences Of Compulsive Shopping Disorder

Compulsive shopping is a progressive condition that can have negative effects on a person’s mental health and way of life over time.

Compulsive shopping may cause:

• financial issues (from depleted savings to bankruptcy)
• legal problems (e.g., if stealing)
• relationship troubles
• depression

Compulsive shopping can become an unsupportive coping mechanism for dealing with depression, anxiety, anger, or frustration.

In time, however, this can create a reliance on shopping that may become disruptive to a person’s life.

Shopping Addiction And Co-Occurring Disorders

Compulsive shopping is often likened to other types of compulsions and addictive habits, including compulsive hair-pulling, binge-eating, and skin-picking.

Common co-occurring disorders include:

• mood disorders
• anxiety disorders
• personality disorders
• substance use disorders
• impulse control disorders
• eating disorders

Having one or more mental health disorders is known as co-occurring disorders or dual diagnoses.

People who have co-occurring disorders may benefit from a dual diagnosis treatment program.

Is There Treatment For Compulsive Shopping Disorder?

People who have a shopping addiction may benefit from individual behavioral therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). There are also shopping addiction self-help groups.

Debtors Anonymous is a 12-step peer support program specifically designed for people with compulsive spending and debt problems. Spenders Anonymous offers a similar community.

Both programs are free and available online and in-person, making them accessible starting points for people who are not yet ready to pursue formal treatment.

Co-Occurring Disorders

If someone with a shopping addiction also has a co-occurring mental health or substance use disorder, additional treatment in a structured rehabilitation program may be recommended.

Dual diagnosis treatment programs include:

• inpatient dual diagnosis rehab
• intensive outpatient programs
• outpatient dual diagnosis rehab

Some substance abuse treatment programs offer treatment that may be capable of addressing both a person’s substance misuse and shopping addiction. Generally, these co-occurring issues can be treated through detox, behavioral therapy, support groups, and medication.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is another condition that frequently co-occurs with compulsive shopping, though it is often overlooked in this context. The impulsivity and difficulty with delayed gratification characteristic of ADHD can contribute to compulsive purchasing behaviors.

People who find that their compulsive shopping is accompanied by difficulty concentrating, disorganization, or chronic impulsivity may benefit from an ADHD evaluation alongside treatment for compulsive buying.

Steps You Can Take On Your Own

If you’re not ready for formal treatment, you can take practical harm reduction steps to limit damage while building motivation for change. These include:

• deleting saved payment information from retail websites
• removing shopping apps from your phone
• setting spending limits on credit cards
• identifying the emotional triggers that precede compulsive purchases

Keeping a log of what you buy, how much you spend, and how you felt before purchasing can also build the self-awareness that supports later treatment.

Find Treatment For Shopping Addiction

Living with a shopping addiction can be isolating. This condition is not well-understood, particularly among the general public.

Browse our directory or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about addiction recovery.