{"id":94,"date":"2010-12-02T07:19:59","date_gmt":"2010-12-02T07:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/movingbeyondaddiction\/2010\/12\/shopaholics-beware-the-holidays-are-here.html"},"modified":"2010-12-02T07:19:59","modified_gmt":"2010-12-02T07:19:59","slug":"shopaholics-beware-the-holidays-are-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thecelebritytherapist\/2010\/12\/shopaholics-beware-the-holidays-are-here.html","title":{"rendered":"Shopaholics Beware: The Holidays are Here"},"content":{"rendered":"

 “Shopaholic” is a funny, made-up word for what can be a very
\nserious addiction to shopping–I mean shopping for things you don’t need and
\nspending money you don’t have. Like other addictions, it’s an artificial way to
\nmake yourself feel good and avoid coping with the things that make you feel
\nbad. It’s not just about buying another pair of cute shoes–it’s spending that
\nhas gotten so out of control that you’re experiencing negative consequences in
\nyour life.<\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>The shopping
\naddiction tends to be worse around the holidays, because shopaholics who feel
\nsome guilt about buying a lot of things for themselves can get around that by
\nshopping for others. But it’s important to remember that people don’t actually
\nenjoy being overwhelmed by large numbers of gifts. A single thoughtful present
\nis always appreciated, but an avalanche of stuff just creates clutter for the
\nrecipient. <\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>So how do you
\nget through the holiday shopping without overdoing it? The most important step
\nis to make a shopping list. Write down the names of all the people you plan to
\nbuy a holiday gift for. Then spend several days thinking about the one thing
\neach person would really like. Consider all the things you know about that
\nperson and select a gift for them. Write it down next to their name. <\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>Then write down
\nabout how much you plan to spend on the gift. When you’re done, add up all the
\ncosts and make sure it’s an amount you can afford–today. <\/i>Not next week or next month when you get your next paycheck,
\nor when you think the credit card bills will come. If your total is more than
\nyou an afford right now,<\/i> revise your
\nlist. <\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>This is your
\nholiday shopping list, and it’s all you
\nare going to buy. <\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span><\/span><\/i>If you love to shop simply to enjoy the holiday spirit in the
\nstores, spread out your shopping over several weekends. Just buy a few things
\non each shopping trip. As you buy each item on your list, cross it off.  <\/span>Take the gift home and wrap it yourself, so
\nyou can really enjoy the process and think about how happy the recipient will
\nbe to get this one gift. <\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span>If you’re
\nreally worried you won’t be able to stick to your list, take someone with you
\nwhoever you go shopping. Tell them what you plan to buy that day, and promise
\nyou’ll go for coffee or hot chocolate as soon as you’ve found all the items
\nyou’re looking for. <\/span><\/p>\n

            <\/span> <\/span>Then enjoy your day out with your friend, the
\ndecorations and music in the stores, the bustle of the crowds, and the
\nsatisfaction of crossing each item off your list. You don’t need anything more.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

 “Shopaholic” is a funny, made-up word for what can be a very serious addiction to shopping–I mean shopping for things you don’t need and spending money you don’t have. Like other addictions, it’s an artificial way to make yourself feel good and avoid coping with the things that make you feel bad. It’s not just…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":402,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,8,10,12,14,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-94","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-addiction","category-celebrity-addiction","category-celebrity-rehab","category-law-of-sobriety","category-recovery","category-sobriety"],"yoast_head":"\nShopaholics Beware: The Holidays are Here - The Celebrity Therapist<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thecelebritytherapist\/2010\/12\/shopaholics-beware-the-holidays-are-here.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shopaholics Beware: The Holidays are Here - The Celebrity Therapist\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\" “Shopaholic” is a funny, made-up word for what can be a very serious addiction to shopping–I mean shopping for things you don’t need and spending money you don’t have. 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