A time to shop, a time to stop | Oniomaniac (Shopperholic)

source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/health/view/1027455/1/.html

By Eveline Gan. TODAY | Posted: 29 December 2009 0808 hrs

SINGAPORE : Now that the high from the manic festive shopping has ebbed, you suddenly realised that your bank account has less money than your kid cousin's piggy bank.

Not a big deal, you tell yourself, as you laugh off your wallet-busting sprees.

But in some cases, compulsive spending can be a big deal, said experts TODAY spoke to. Take Geraldine (not her real name), a former shopping addict, for instance.

Her shopping sprees started out quite innocently. Whenever she felt stressed or unhappy, she would engage in "retail therapy". Over time, it spiralled out of control. The 28-year-old eventually maxed out six of her credit cards and racked up a debt of about S$80,000.

Compulsive spenders like Geraldine are not unheard of. Associate Professor Munidasa Winslow, a specialist in psychiatry at Raffles Hospital and whose clinical interest includes addiction problems, sees about one such case each month.

"Oniomania (the technical term for shopping addiction) tends to be compulsive, and there usually is a reason for it," he said.

Most oniomaniacs tend to always have "a larger presenting problem" such as marital issues, said Ms Jane Wong, a counsellor at My Counselling Room. She sees about five cases each year.

Over at Credit Counselling Singapore (CCS), assistant director Tan Huey Min said they are seeing more cases of bad debts as a result of overspending.

Of the 714 cases CSS counselled last year, 61.6 per cent cited overspending - as a result of shopping for branded goods or simply spending more than one can afford to - as one of the main causes of their indebtedness. In 2006, this group made up only 42.2 per cent of the total number of cases counselled.

Ms Tan added that most of them are between the age of 30 and 40, and owe an average of S$80,000 although their monthly take-home pay is only about S$2,500.

Assoc Prof Winslow explained that with this form of compulsive spending, the behaviour "is driven by the need to emotionally numb out unpleasant feelings or forget their problems".


I can't stop myself!

As with any kind of addiction behaviours, the spending binges often start out as "normal activities".

"But when it (shopping and spending) is taken to the extreme and becomes compulsive, and the person cannot stop despite knowing that they should, then it becomes more than a lifestyle. It affects both the person and those around them, just like other forms of addiction, such as gambling," said Assoc Prof Winslow.

While they may enjoy the adrenaline-pumping euphoria with each spending binge, the feeling never lasts long.

Typically, said Ms Wong, a compulsive spender would end up buying items they have no intention to use, and they can't explain why they need them.

"Even if they do explain (why they made the purchase), they may feel embarrassed and give irrational reasons."

At some point in time, the credit cards bills would also "start piling up somewhere in the closet", added Ms Wong.

While most oniomanics Assoc Prof Winslow sees are women, the condition is not unheard of in men.

One of the most serious cases Ms Tan has seen at CCS was a father of three. He was a Singapore permanent resident in his mid-30s and had a monthly take-home income of close to S$6,000.

He chalked up a debt of S$120,000 in a period of three years due to a lavish lifestyle of buying gifts for the family, fine-dining and offering financial help to relatives.


Breaking the cycle of addiction

Assoc Prof Winslow said it is important for spending addicts to break the cycle of addiction with professional help. This would also help identify and nip other accompanying mental problems, such as depression or anxiety, in the bud.

"Once you realise your shopping is going out of control, or you are spending to adjust your moods rather than buying rationally within your means, then it may be time to seek counsel," he said.

It is also important that the family does not bail out the person too quickly - as with gambling problems.

"If there are no consequences, the addiction behaviour repeats itself," said Assoc Prof Winslow.

For Geraldine, the road to recovery has been arduous.

Her psychiatrist has identified that her shopping addiction was her way of coping with stress from her hectic job and relationship problems.

She was given anti-depressants to help cope with the stress and improve her sleep. A credit counsellor also helped work out a financial repayment plan to control her spiralling credit card debt.

Although Geraldine is not yet debt-free, her debts are now manageable. Through the incident, she has also learnt healthier ways to deal with her emotions.

- TODAY