An international team of psychologists and clinicians has confirmed that excessive buying and shopping could become a "debilitating condition."
Experts recently announced the first framework to diagnose this disorder that they call Compulsive Buying-Shopping Disorder (CBSD) to determine at what point is excessive buying considered to be a disorder, MailOnline reported.
Compulsive buying and shopping could lead to hoarding of things that a person might not need and ultimately end up in debt. They are also thought to use shopping and excessive buying as a way to improve their mood, like a treat or reward for themselves, just like those who suffer from eating disorders.
The diagnosis of this disorder could help people manage their compulsive buying and shopping to improve their mental well-being.
Compulsive Buying and Shopping Now Considered A Disorder As Confirmed By Psychologists and Clinicians
Lack of Formal Diagnostic Criteria for CBSD
The international team of researchers studying CBSD is led by Professor Mike Kyrios from Flinders University's órama Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing, the news outlet reported.
"Paradoxically, if someone with compulsive buying-shopping disorder goes on a shopping trip, this will briefly improve their negative feelings, but will soon lead to strong feelings of shame, guilt, and embarrassment," he said.
A review of compulsive buying disorder published in World Psychiatry reported that the disorder is characterized by excessive shopping cognitions and buying behavior that leads to impairment. It has been classified in the early 20th century by Swiss psychiatrist Paul Eugen Bleuler and German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin.
However, there is still no formal diagnosis for the disorder despite it being a prevalent and disabling problem that leads to overconsumption, hoarding, and debt.
Professor Krylos said that the lack of formal diagnostic criteria had hampered the perceived seriousness of the problem and the research efforts of developing evidence-based treatments.
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Diagnostic Criteria of CBSD
The new framework developed by the international team of researchers composed of 138 experts from 35 countries will help the diagnosis of compulsive buying-shopping disorder.
CBSD could appear as a comorbidity in mood, anxiety, and eating disorders, or substance abuse. It is often observed among teens and those in their early twenties and could get worse over time.
Symptoms of CBSD may include accumulating debt, hiding purchases from loved ones, relationship breakdowns, compensating for negative feelings by excessive buying, and unsuccessful attempts to stop excessive buying and shopping.
Excessiveness in this disorder is described as a "diminished control over buying or shopping." People who suffer from this condition used buying and shopping to regulate or generate positive emotions and relieve negative moods.
According to an article in Very Well Mind, these people are often called shopaholic who are obsessed in seeking approval from others, has low self-esteem, suffer from anxiety and depression, has poor impulse control, indulges in fantasy and are materialistic.
The team published their new framework, entitled "Proposed diagnostic criteria for compulsive buying-shopping disorder: A Delphi expert consensus study" in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions.
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