Here's an interesting story about shopping and depression. To read the Associated Press article, click here. It begins:
BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- If you're sad and shopping, watch your wallet: A new study shows people's spending judgment goes out the window when they're down, especially if they're a bit self-absorbed.Study participants who watched a sadness-inducing video clip offered to pay nearly four times as much money to buy a water bottle than a group that watched an emotionally neutral clip.
The so-called "misery is not miserly" phenomenon is well-known to psychologists, advertisers and personal shoppers alike, and has been documented in a similar study in 2004.
The new study released Friday by researchers from four universities goes further, trying to answer whether temporary sadness alone can trigger spendthrift tendencies.
The study found a willingness to spend freely by sad people occurs mainly when their sadness triggers greater "self-focus." That response was measured by counting how frequently study participants used references to "I," "me," "my" and "myself" in writing an essay about how a sad situation such as the one portrayed in the video would affect them personally.
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Cleo:
you are SO RIGHT!! A cousin of mine whose high style I've pften covted does almost ALL her clothing shopping at Good Will and Salvation Army. (I didn't believe her the first time she told me) Fashions tend to come back into style after a time, and one can find "vintage" pieces dor next to nothing while, as you say, supporting a worthy cause. Thrift shops aren't just for halloween costumes anymore, particularly those located in more affluent areas where women can and do reonvent their look every season!
It's so interesting to see how brain chemistry is affected by shopping. My mother has Alzheimer's and not too long ago, I took her into a store, a very rare treat nowadays. She chose a couple of items of clothing and when we got to the cashier she blurted out to me "Thank you so much for taking me to do this! This makes me feel like I'm not an invalid!"
It's part of what I've posted before called the "verbs" - shopping, spending, eating, drinking, sleeping. They're all likely if you're depressed or manic. For me, I've disovered it's part of a search for comfort, to make myself feel better in the midst of a negative time. So what else can we do instead? Post on Group Beyond Blue!!! Make friends, clean and organize, and the dreaded exercise. Any other suggestions?
Hi, There are times when Iam so sad I just know death would be so so much better It would be peaceful how do I get out of this without rehashing my childhood
Shoping doesnt help drinking doesnt help but I need help
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