Hi everyone, Shalom Aleichem!
Good afternoon GanSist everyone! 
Welcome back to Superwoman Seriesthe 97th, a series that discusses how women can become strong individuals from various aspects of life, from physical, mental, social, to spiritual. In series #96, we discussed how shopping addiction can damage social relationships and erode a person’s ability to build healthy relationships.
In this series, the discussion is still related to consumer behavior, but more specifically to a phenomenon that often goes unnoticed, namely the addiction to buying excessive amounts of medicine, vitamins, supplements and various health products.
At first glance, this habit may seem positive. Many people think that buying health products means showing concern for their body. However, like any other behavior that is done excessively and without control, this habit can turn into a serious psychological problem.
In health psychology, there is a term known as: health anxiety or hypochondria, which is a condition when a person is too worried about their own health that they constantly seek reassurance that they are not sick. In some cases, this anxiety can encourage someone to buy various health products excessively even though there is no clear medical need.
If this habit continues, various psychological problems can arise. It should be understood that drug shopping addiction does not automatically cause certain mental disorders. However, this behavior can strengthen thought patterns and behavior that resemble various forms of psychological deviation that harm oneself and others.
Here are 4 irregularities to watch out for.
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1. Antisocial Personality Disorder
When someone has a shopping addiction, financial stress is often a consequence that is difficult to avoid. Expenditures that continue to increase without control can cause debt, family conflict, and even difficulty meeting basic needs.
In stressful conditions like this, some people start to use various methods to maintain their shopping habits. For example, lying about financial conditions, hiding the actual amount of expenses, borrowing money without a strong intention to return it, manipulating other people to be willing to provide financial assistance, and taking things that are not rightfully theirs.
These behaviors are not enough to diagnose someone with antisocial personality disorder. However, the pattern bears similarities to some of the characteristics found in the disorder, such as lack of responsibility, manipulation, exploitation of others, and low empathy.
The problem is, the greater the financial pressure experienced, the greater the risk that someone will normalize unethical behavior.
At first it might just be a small lie, then it develops into a habit of taking advantage of other people’s kindness. Ultimately, social relationships become damaged as the trust that has been built over many years slowly disappears.
For a Superwoman, integrity is one of the most important forms of mental strength. There are no supplements, drugs, or health products that can replace the values of honesty and responsibility in everyday life.
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2. Somatic Delusions
One of the effects that is quite often found in people with hypochondria is the tendency to pay excessive attention to bodily sensations. A slightly faster heartbeat is considered a symptom of heart disease, light dizziness is considered a sign of serious illness, and general tiredness is considered a sign of serious health problems. As a result, someone continues to buy various vitamins, herbal medicines, supplements, or other health products in the hope of eliminating these worries.
In more severe forms, a person can experience thought patterns that resemble somatic delusions, namely a very strong belief that there is something wrong with their body even though it is not supported by adequate medical evidence.
Of course, not everyone who buys supplements suffers from somatic delusions. However, the habit of focusing excessive attention on the condition of the body can reinforce unrealistic beliefs about health.
As a result, Sista finds it difficult to feel calm, normal medical examinations do not provide relief, she always looks for new health products, continues to search for disease information on the internet, and spends a lot of time thinking about her body condition. Ironically, the more attention paid to minor symptoms, the greater the anxiety that arises.
The human body is not always in perfect condition at all times. Sometimes the body is tired, sometimes it’s sore, sometimes it’s not fit. This is a normal part of life.
Strong women do not neglect their health, but they also do not live in constant fear of the possibility of getting sick.
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3. Histrionic Personality Disorder
Histrionic personality disorder is characterized by an excessive need for attention and approval from others.
In the context of drug shopping addiction and health anxiety, a person sometimes begins to build his or her identity around the role of being the person who is always affected by the disease or the person who suffers the most. Attention from the environment then becomes a source of psychological comfort. As a result, behaviors appear such as constantly talking about health conditions, exaggerating mild symptoms, feeling disappointed when other people do not show the expected attention, considering themselves to be suffering more than others, and rejecting input that is contrary to their beliefs. Under certain conditions, a person can even start to pretend to be sick or exaggerate symptoms that are actually not that serious.
This phenomenon is dangerous, because it turns social attention into an emotional need that is difficult to fulfill. The more attention you receive, the greater your desire to maintain that attention.
When others begin to question his behavior, anger and defensiveness may emerge. In fact, healthy social relationships are built on the basis of honesty and mutual respect, not on the basis of seeking excessive sympathy.
A true superwoman is able to face adversity with courage and maturity. A strong woman does not make suffering her main identity, but uses life experiences as a means to grow.
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4. Panic Disorder
The next impact that needs to be considered is the increased risk of anxiety and panic disorders.
When someone constantly thinks about health, the brain becomes more sensitive to various bodily sensations that are actually normal. For example, heart palpitations after climbing stairs, breathing a little faster after activity, and sweat that appears due to hot weather. For people experiencing health anxiety, these sensations can be interpreted as a sign of danger.
This wrong interpretation then triggers greater anxiety. Anxiety increases heart rate. An increased heart rate is considered evidence of disease. As a result, anxiety increases again.
This cycle can develop into panic attacks. When a panic attack occurs, a person can feel difficult to breathe, afraid of dying, afraid of fainting, losing control, and feeling like their body is experiencing an emergency. In fact, often no serious underlying medical problem is found.
The habit of buying excessive supplements is often part of an effort to reduce anxiety. Unfortunately, the effects are usually only temporary. Because, the root of the problem is anxiety, not a lack of health products.
Apart from that, a mindset that always views illness as a torment that cannot be faced makes it increasingly difficult for a person to develop mental resilience. In fact, every human being must face pain, discomfort, and various physical limitations throughout his life.
Mental strength does not mean never being afraid. Mental strength means being able to face fears realistically without letting them control your life.
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CLOSURE
As a continuation of the discussion in previous series, we can see that addiction to shopping for drugs and supplements is not just a problem of excessive spending. In the long term, these habits can strengthen various unhealthy thought patterns and behavior.
Four deviations to watch out for include:
1) Antisocial personality disorder
2) Somatic delusions
3) Histrionic personality disorder
4) Panic disorder
It is important to understand that not everyone who likes to buy drugs or supplements will experience these disorders. However, uncontrolled consumption patterns can increase the risk of developing various psychological problems.
A Superwoman who is strong physically, mentally, socially and spiritually understands that true health is not built through fear, but through correct knowledge, a healthy lifestyle, self-control and the courage to face the realities of life rationally.
Because, in the end, the greatest strength is not having a cupboard full of supplements, but rather having a healthy mind in facing all the uncertainties of life.
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SOURCE
One Hundred Percent Male Y*ut*be Account (but adapted to a female style)
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Asmundson , GJG , Taylor , S. , & Cox , BJ (2001). Health anxiety: Clinical and research perspectives on hypochondriasis and related conditions. John Wiley & Sons.
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Faber, R. J., & O’Guinn, T. C. (1992). A clinical screener for compulsive buying. Journal of Consumer Research, 19(3)459–469.
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Widiger, T. A., & Costa, P. T. (2013). Personality disorders and the five-factor model of personality (3rd ed.). American Psychological Association.
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