There's a phenomenon known as “shopping therapy” or “retail treatment,” where people go shopping to feel better about them or getting something to perk up their self-esteem. Regardless of the dangers of getting addicted, shopping therapy does appear to work in some cases. Source of article: 1000 loans payback installments

Looking at ad campaign

According to Time magazine, Lucky magazine, a style and fashion publication, has an advertising campaign out presently that displays gloomy phrases like “my boyfriend dumped me via text” and “my intern is the only one following me on Twitter.” The ad campaign is called “Fill the Void” and ostensibly, the “void” is one's self image, which is filled by purchasing the clothes and accessories Lucky magazine wants people to buy.

It would be ridiculous to complain about consumerism and materialism in a rant since there really is benefit for shopping therapy occasionally. The magazine wants people to go shopping to feel good.

Not that expensive occasionally

People typically felt happier and more satisfied after making purchases when they bought it during shopping therapy rather than being sad about it.

A study in the Journal of Psychology and Marketing actually promoted shopping therapy due to these results, according to the Daily Mail. A study by researchers in Taiwan, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, published a study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in 2011 that revealed health benefits of retail treatment for seniors. People in the study aged 65 years or older who went shopping often, despite having a higher instance of consuming alcohol and smoking, were found to be in better physical and mental condition than those who did not.

It is unclear what the CBC means, but it did say the seniors also had a “27 percent lower risk of death.”

Dependent upon how much one spends doing it, it could possibly be cheaper than an actual therapist, as psychotherapy plus medications can easily send a person running for short term loans.

Study shows shopping for men

Men are using shopping treatment just as much as women; they are seen purchasing things such as junk food and beer instead of clothes though. An NPower survey was done in 2011, according to Technorati, that found men spent 6 pounds, or $10, more per week on impulse shopping than women.

The Sydney Morning Herald explained that men have been seen out shopping women in Australia also. In 2007, spending for men and women was AUS$180 and AUS$179 a month, according to the Melbourne’s Swinburn University researchers. Now those numbers changed to AUS$242 for men a month and AUS$165 a month.

 

Sources

Time

Daily Mail

CBC