Hi everyone, Shalom Aleichem!
Good evening GanSist everyone! 
Welcome back to Superwoman Seriesthe 104th, a series that discusses how women can become strong individuals physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.
In several previous series, we have discussed the various impacts of shopping addiction, ranging from disrupted social relationships, problems in love, to various habits that can damage mental and physical health. This time, we will discuss something more basic, namely the various major losses that arise when someone is unable to control their spending habits.
Shopping is basically not something wrong. It’s normal to buy daily necessities, buy things you really need, or occasionally give yourself a gift. However, problems arise when shopping turns into a compulsive habit, namely an urge that is difficult to control to buy something even though the item is not needed and actually causes problems in life.
In the world of psychology, this condition is often mentioned compulsive buying disorder or compulsive buying behavior. Various studies show that this behavior is related to stress, anxiety, financial problems, interpersonal conflict, and reduced quality of life.
Shopping addiction often provides a temporary feeling of pleasure. When buying something, a person can feel joy, relief, or even feel more valuable.
Unfortunately, these feelings usually only last temporarily. After that, there will be regret, worry, financial stress, and the desire to shop again. This cycle makes it increasingly difficult for someone to get out of this habit.
As a Superwoman, the ability to control oneself is a very important form of strength. Because, true freedom is not the ability to buy as much as possible, but rather the ability to determine what is really needed.
Here are 4 big losses that can occur if shopping addiction is allowed to continue.
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1. Financial Loss: Money Runs Out and the Future Becomes Uncertain
The first and most easily visible loss is financial loss.
The habit of buying unnecessary items can lead to reduced savings, increased debt, difficulty meeting basic needs, loss of emergency funds, and failure to achieve financial goals.
Many studies show that compulsive buying behavior is associated with serious financial problems.
Ironically, some people actually shop to reduce stress due to the financial problems they are experiencing. As a result, they are trapped in a cycle that is difficult to break.
Money is actually not just a tool to buy things. Money also functions as a means of protection when an emergency occurs, a means to obtain education, capital to build a business, and support for the health and welfare of the family. When most of the income is used up to meet the urge to spend, the opportunity to build a better future becomes increasingly small. Not a few family conflicts and romantic relationships are triggered by financial problems.
Therefore, controlling spending habits is not only about saving money, but also maintaining overall life stability.
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2. Loss of Time: Life Is Wasted Chasing Goods
Many people don’t realize that shopping addiction isn’t just a waste of money, it’s also a waste of time. Just consider how much time can be spent looking for discounts, comparing products, watching product reviews, browsing online stores, and thinking about what to buy.
Little by little, the time that should be used for studying, exercising, gathering with family, creating works of art, worshiping and resting is instead being spent on consumptive activities.
In fact, time is a resource that cannot be returned. Lost money may still be recovered, but wasted time will never be returned.
Many people regret it later in life because they realize that years of their lives were spent chasing things that did not provide lasting happiness.
A Superwoman understands that life is too precious to waste it on the pursuit of instant gratification.
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3. Physical Loss: Health and Beauty May Decrease
Some people use shopping as a way to deal with anxiety and discomfort. There are also those who become so worried about their health that they continue to buy medicine, vitamins or supplements even though they are not always needed.
In fact, health cannot be bought only through products. The human body needs adequate sleep, physical activity, nutritious food, stress management, and healthy social relationships.
Shopping addiction accompanied by excessive anxiety can increase psychological pressure.
Prolonged stress is known to affect various aspects of health, including sleep quality, endurance, skin condition, daily energy and heart health. Not a few people spend a lot of money in pursuit of beauty, but ignore basic habits that are actually more important for health.
Apart from that, the habit of sitting for hours shopping online, not moving enough, and constantly thinking about purchases can also worsen a sedentary lifestyle.
Ultimately, a healthy body is not built through panic and unlimited consumption, but through balanced and sustainable healthy living habits.
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4. Intellectual Loss: Decreased Creativity and Difficulty Dealing with Problems
The final loss is often not realized, namely intellectual loss. Addictions, including shopping addiction, can make a person increasingly dependent on instant gratification.
Every time you experience stress, sadness, or disappointment, the solution you choose is to buy something. As a result, the ability to face problems healthily becomes less developed.
In fact, life demands various soft skills such as critical thinking, controlling emotions, solving problems, making decisions, and developing creativity. If every problem is always avoided through shopping, the opportunity to develop mental resilience is reduced.
Various studies show that chronic stress and impulsivity can affect cognitive function, including attention and decision making.
Apart from that, time spent on consumptive behavior also reduces opportunities to do activities that stimulate the brain, such as reading, learning new skills, exercising, discussing and making art.
Of course, saying that shopping addiction directly lowers IQ is a gross oversimplification. The level of intelligence is influenced by many factors and cannot be measured just from one habit.
However, it cannot be denied that the habit of constantly seeking escape through shopping can hinder the development of thinking, creativity and problem-solving abilities.
A Superwoman doesn’t run away from trouble. Strong women learn to face problems with courage, peace, and self-control.
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CLOSURE
Shopping addiction may seem trivial at first. One thing today, one thing tomorrow, a little spending here and there. However, if not controlled, this habit can cause major losses, namely:
1) Financial loss, because money runs out and the future becomes uncertain
2) Loss of time, because a lot of time is wasted on consumptive activities
3) Physical losses, because health and life balance are disturbed
4) Intellectual loss, because the ability to face problems and develop oneself is hampered
As part of Superwoman Series #104, the message to be conveyed is very simple, that shopping should be a tool to fulfill life’s needs, rather than being a ruler who controls life.
Because, in the end, a strong woman is not the woman who has the most things, but rather the woman who is able to control her desires, manage her resources wisely, and continue to grow into a healthy person physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.
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SOURCE
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Dittmar, H. (2005). Compulsive buying—A growing concern? An examination of gender, age, and endorsement of materialistic values as predictors. British Journal of Psychology, 96(4)467–491.
Kasser, T. (2016). The high price of materialism(2nd ed.). MIT Press.
Mueller, A., Mitchell, J. E., Crosby, R. D., Gefeller, O., Faber, R. J., Martin, A., Bleich, S., Glaesmer, H., Exner, C., de Zwaan, M., & Claes, L. (2011). Estimated prevalence of compulsive buying in Germany and its association with sociodemographic characteristics and depressive symptoms. Psychiatry Research, 180(2–3)137–142.
Piff, P. K. (2014). Wealth and the inflated self: Class, entitlement, and narcissism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(1)34–43.
Roberts, J. A., & Jones, E. (2001). Money attitudes, credit card use, and compulsive buying among American college students. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 35(2), 213–240. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.2001.tb00111.x
Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don’t get ulcers (3rd ed.). Henry Holt and Company.
World Health Organization. (2022). Mental health and well-being. World Health Organization.
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