“Retail Therapy” is a word, probably our grandparents and generations before that never knew of. In the last few decades, the concept of indulging in shopping as a therapy has suddenly mushroomed. Buying new things might make one feel good, but whether it is reasonable to call it a therapy or not is subject of research. To understand the veracity of “Retail Therapy” better, one needs to understand the psyche of people who indulge in this activity of shopping. Any individual who is not in complete control of their emotions and does not really know how to handle challenging situations or cannot accept certain negativities in their lives, resort to shopping as a therapy. But, is it actually therapeutic in the long run?
I used to be an ardent fan of big brands, best technology, good cars etc. I worked really hard to buy myself all the things I wanted to own. While my indulgence was not associated with retail therapy, it was just a part of my ambitions in life. As long as a bag or a watch were kept in the dazzling shelves of the malls, I wanted to own it. As soon as I paid for it and used it maybe once or twice, it was just another “space occupying” object in my wardrobe. The novelty of the object I craved to purchase had diminished to a large extent. I read about this tendency and realized that I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. This behavioral pattern has been captured in the subject of economics and is known as “Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility”. The more I indulge in things I love, the more I seem to dislike it. This is a universal feeling.
Buying something new for yourself, might make the buyer feel good. It may give an impression that shopping is actually elevating your mood or you might find yourself in a happy space. However, this is a very short lived feeling. After a few hours, you will again be trapped in the same cycle of depression and negativity.
On another hand, if we study the shopping trend of western countries, we practically find the majority population living on their credit cards. The word “credit” means “debt”. It actually means that one is buying goods, which he or she cannot afford to buy or does not have the potential to pay for at the moment of the purchase. Shopping either out of peer pressure or for the temporary gratification that it may have, can be a very risky decision from a financial perspective as well.
So how does one get out of this cycle?
At the foremost, one needs to acknowledge that there is no individual on this planet, who does not have emotional challenges. The richest person may have difficulties, you can never fathom. You are not the only one who is battling bouts of depression. However, the difference is how is the feeling of negativity being handled?
Resorting to frequent exercises, involving meditation and relaxation regimes, accepting that problems are a global phenomenon and you are not the only victim of unhappiness, practicing forgiveness, interacting with the less privileged will all enable you to handle challenges better.
Another impediment of the 21st generation, is looking for short term solutions. Practice like unwanted shopping , is a temporary solution to your woes. We have to learn and educate the next generation to find a permanent resort . When we rely on retail therapy, we are actually dependent on a third source for our happiness. We fail to realize that our happiness lies within us. No one has the potential to make us feel depressed or make us feel better. We ourselves are the cause as well as the solution of all the feelings that we go through in our lifetime.
The marketing companies have also figured out the extent of human dependence on shopping. The urge to buy goods we don’t need is so strong that we end up in a debt trap. As a responsible citizen, it is about time that we realize the downside of mindless shopping on our financial situation and consequently the financial imbalance it is going to cause in the society.
There is nothing more powerful and liberating than being in control of yourself and your emotions.
