7 Ways to Know If You Are a Compulsive Shopper

We are officially at the holiday Christmas season and besides special cooking, family and friends, this means shopping. For some, this is one of the best times of the year to spend time - and money - with family and friends, but for those suffering from compulsive shopping, this time of year could be anything but happy. They might go through the Christmas season with psychic pain and suffering, says Angie Moore, manager of the Illinois Center for Addiciont Recovery in Peoria, Ill, in an interview with Back Channel Media.

Among other things, the holiday season is for bargain hunting and buying those special gifts to fill our Christmas trees with presents. So, how do you know if you are suffering from a mild case of compulsive shopping, or worse yet, you are an obsesive shopper already? It is difficult to know when everyone else, even your family and friends, seems to be doing exactly the same thing: shopping, shopping, and more shopping. One of your first clues comes when you start feeling anxious on those days you are not...shopping.

But here is a more detailed list from the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery with some tips you can check to see if you fit the pattern of the compulsive shopper:

If you are...

1. Shopping or spending money as a result of feeling disappointed, angry or scared.

2. Shopping or spending and is causing you emotional distress.

3. Having arguments with others about your shopping or spending habits.

4. Feeling lost without credit cards.

5. Buying items on credit that would not be bought with cash.

6. Feeling a rush of euphoria and anxiety when spending money.

7. Spending a lot of time juggling accounts or bills to accommodate spending.

...then you might have a problem with shopping or spending habits.

If you find real difficulty controlling these types of behaviors and feel emotionally overwhelmed, the Institute gives this advice to help you through out the holiday season:

1. Pay for purchases by cash, check or debit card.

2. Make a shopping list and stick to it.

3. Destroy all credit cards except one to be used for emergency only.

4. Avoid discount warehouses.

5. Window shop after stores have closed.

6. Avoid phoning in catalog orders, and don't watch TV shopping channels.

7. Walk or exercise when the urge to shop comes on.

8. f you feel out of control, you probably are. Seek counseling or a support group.

We all feel a little bit of guilt after our Christmas shopping is done because we could not resist some bargains, which might be normal as long as it is not a recurring feeling every time you go out shopping and constantly have to lie about your spending.

But keep yourself in check with these tips, so that you can enjoy the holidays at home and at the mall, with your family and friends.

Dan Brizel "Holiday Season Frenzy Can Be Tough on Compulsive Shoppers" Back Channel Media

"What Behaviors Indicate Compulsive Shopping and Spending?" Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery