By Donald McFetridge
Saturday Feb 21 2009

This weekend the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic opens to the public and no doubt cinemas across the country will be filled with punters all going along to have a look at the seemingly ridiculous behaviour of Rebecca Bloomwood who tries — unsuccessfully — to juggle an outrageous 12 credit cards and who cannot get a hold on her excessive spending in spite of the fact that, by day, she’s a serious financial journalist and commentator.

The film is based on Sophie Kinsella’s book. The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic. While some will regard the content as “fluffy”, that is anything but the case.

The problem of shopaholism has been around for a very long time. In recent times, we’ve heard the names of Imelda Marcos (with her amazing shoe collection) and Elton John (with his addiction to expensive flowers) being mocked in the Press. Posh and Becks have also been typified as fitting the category after their well-documented shopping sprees on Bond Street and Rodeo Drive.

But it’s not just the rich and famous who become omniomaniacs — the correct term for shopaholics. Perhaps if we started to refer to the problem by using the more academically correct terminology for the condition, it would instantly appear to be much less attractive proposition altogether.

But what exactly constitutes compulsive shopping behaviour or omniomania? Simply put, it’s where consumers (principally, but not exclusively, female according to the most recent surveys) shop in order to relieve anxiety and stress. However, over time, this type of purchasing behaviour creates a dysfunctional lifestyle and more and more of the omniomaniac’s focus is placed on shopping as the most predominant activity in their lives.

Leading experts in the subject area suggest that shopaholism stems from a multifarious variety of different sources. For instance, some propound the notion that it potentially originates from emotional deprivation in childhood or the inability to tolerate negative feelings such as pain, loneliness, boredom, depression, fear or rage. Others suggest that it emanates from a need to fill an “inner void” (for example, feelings of emptiness or longing) while some analysts believe that those who practice this type of activity are excitement-seeking perfectionists who are already genuinely impulsive and compulsive in other aspects of their lives. One thing, however, is certain: they need to gain control over this most real of addictions.

Some may baulk at the idea of Shopaholism being described as an ‘addiction’, but it needs to be stressed and underlined that psychiatrists all over the world have accepted the fact that it’s every bit as much an addiction as addictions of other types, for example, alcoholism. It has become a serious problem and one which must be properly treated and addressed.

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson famously attended Debtors Anonymous as a result of her compulsion to shopping. After conquering her problem with cocaine, she then turned to the addiction of shopping. It’s easy, the experts say, to treat one addiction, but when consumer types are ‘cross-addicted’, it’s much more difficult. For instance, if the consumer is addicted to shopping, sex, drink and a rock and roll lifestyle, then they will find recovery a much more difficult proposition altogether.

The literature (of consumer behaviour) on the subject is most enlightening. It’s not the chick lit fun subject which titillates and entertains; it’s a very serious affair. For example, there are different types of shopaholic. There are the compulsive shoppers who shop simply to distract feelings which they find difficult to control by any other means. If they are in a difficult relationship or if they are experiencing parental or peer pressure, they are likely to hit the shops in order to relieve some of their anxiety, stress or low levels of self-esteem.

Another type of shopaholic is the trophy shopper who delights in finding the perfect accessory to complement an outfit and who simply cannot pass up the opportunity to spend; to forego the pleasure would be anathema to this particular consumer type.

Bargain-hunting shopaholics are another type: they like to purchase merchandise simply because it’s a ‘good deal’. Even though they don’t need the products, they cannot pass the bargain rails.

Those in relationships who have problems controlling their spending are known as Co-dependent Shopaholics. Their penchant for shopping stems from an eternal need to find love, approval and support from their partners. In fact, this quite often works in the reverse and compulsive shoppers of all types can readily find that their relationships falter and fail due to their inordinate amount of consumer spending. It doesn’t always work out the way they plan.

Shopaholics suffering from bulimia can be divided into a separate and very distinct category; not only do they have to deal with the very serious matter of their bulimia, they also have to deal with their out-of-control spending. In point of fact, they are often wrongly considered to be cross-addicted when, in fact, they are using shopping to help them to deal with their medical/mental condition.

Another type of shopaholic is the Collector. They collect shoes, CDs, books, cars and a wide variety of other merchandise types. When they visit a new town, city or country the first thing they do is actively seek out the types of stores likely to afford them spending opportunities and thus further compound their problems of overspending and the associated debt which often comes with the territory.

You see, to pop along to your local cinema and have a giggle at Rebecca and how idiotic she may appear on screen is one thing; to sit down and recognise the fact that this is not just the subject matter of yet another romantic comedy is quite a separate issue altogether.

One American expert has pointed out that: “It’s like a sugar high; the only problem ism it’s a short-term fix, a vicious spiral and one which needs due care, consideration and treatment.”