Obsessed with online shopping, I can't stop! - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Message Board

blancanieve · 06-11-2008, 03:43 PM

Ever since I started college and got my first debit card I started getting into online shopping. At first it was only things that I could only buy online or things that had great deals compared to most stores. Well I just finished college a month ago, and this semester alone, I have made at least 3 purchases each month. The most was 300$. I don't know why but I can't stop myself. I buy alot even from stores that I could just easily drive to and buy from there. But for some reason I perfer to buy them online. I am less likely to buy things however if I go to a store. For some reason I feel like if I have to buy it, like yesterday I made a purchase of 82 dollars just on fashion jewelry. I only wanted to buy like 2 earrings and they have this offer where if you buy 75 $ you get free shipping, well I ended up spending 82 dollars.

I always try to stop myself but for some reason I get really nervous and antsy and I can't stop thinking about it. I had a package delivered to me this morning, and one will be delivered next week, I got 2 packages last week.I tell myself not to, but I keep checking the sites every hour seeing if they've added new stuff.
After I make the purchase I feel relieved and calm. When the package gets here I don't really care about it anymore. The worst thing is that I don't have a job right now, and I should be saving money but for some reason I can't stop. Nobody knows about this, and when I do receive a package I just lie and tell people that I used a gift card to buy it.
Has anyone been through this? Do you have any advise on how I can stop this?

seriousperson · 06-12-2008, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blancanieve

...I always try to stop myself but for some reason I get really nervous and antsy and I can't stop thinking about it. ...
After I make the purchase I feel relieved and calm. When the package gets here I don't really care about it anymore. ...

Cognitive therapy would mean you would have to resist the urge to buy something until the "antsy and nervous" feeling subsided. When you give into that feeling by buying items, the feeling only goes away temporarily. If you have medical insurance, get a list of mental health care providers in your area that take your insurance. If it's a huge list, ask a trusted physician to select some names from the list. When your list is a tolerable size, call the offices and ask whether the practitioner specializes in treating OCD with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and/or using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy.