Many of us like to shop. Some, however, develop a tendency to be controlled and defined by our shopping habits. For instance, there are those conscientious spendthrifts, for whom being able to maintain an appearance of being socially superior through material acquisitions takes precedence over all. On the other extreme, there are the penny pinching misers who take great pains to seek sales bargains and be as frugal as one can possibly be. Somewhere among the two apices of dysfunctional shoppers, lie a peculiar breed of consumers: the compulsive shopper, popularly known as shopaholics.

Revered and valued in the retail circles for their inability to walk out of a shop without making unnecessary purchases, shopaholics are individuals who are addicted to spending. British author Madeleine Wickham’s writings under the pen name Sophie Kinsella are largely credited for popularising the term ‘shopaholic’ and making it a part of our urban consciousness. Kinsella’s six novels in the Shopaholic series take a light-hearted look at the protagonist Becky Bloomwood’s uncontrollable urge to shop and its impact on her life.

However, the urge to compulsively and unstoppably shop with the tendency to drain your bank account is not an entirely fictitious one. There exists a medical condition known as Oniomania (mind you it has nothing to do with onions), a Compulsive Buying Disorder (CBD), characterised by an obsession with shopping and an inability to exercise self-control when buying.

Often the emotional high and the adrenaline rush associated with making purchases takes precedence over one’s financial wellbeing. In many cases, shopaholics themselves are not aware of dependence and those in denial will happily excuse themselves by laying the blame on our capitalist environment.

The current economic downturn has been a source of hardship for a lot of people. Massive job cuts have spelt a loss of livelihood for many and are a source of alarm for businesses. Die-hard shoppers, dependent on retail therapy as a coping mechanism for stress, or a means to achieve that much needed sense of release, find themselves increasingly frustrated, robbed of their identity and passion in these financially difficult times.

So how can habitual shoppers deal with the recession monster? One way to go about it would be to seek respite in online window shopping (without your credit cards, of course). The mere act of browsing through designer items and global brands on the Web, and adding stuff left and right in a virtual shopping cart, without a shop attendant breathing down your neck or goading you to purchase something to rack up their sales commission, can be quite satisfying at times. Of course, you can try carrying out the same exercise in an actual store but be prepared for baleful looks from the store people when you walk out without buying anything.

Then again, now would be a good time to mend your errant shopping ways for good and figure out what you are trying to attain through random purchases. Like any other addiction, the differentiating factor that separates the shopaholics from the average, excessive over spender lies in motivation behind the purchases. Psychologist and author of the book To Buy or Not to Buy, April Lane Benson identifies the underlying issue for compulsive shopping as “People over-shop because they are lonely, bored, angry, trying to deal with a loss or want to belong to an appearance-obsessed culture. They want to put forth an image of wealth and power. They want to feel better about themselves. Some people do it out of excitement and as a way to calm themselves.”

Being able to admit to yourself which purchases are actually unnecessary wants, and boldly accept and deal with absolute necessities is the first step to kicking Oniomania. Overspending isn’t an easily broken habit, but by keeping tabs on your emotions and keeping sight of your goals, you can find a way to manage your spending.