WhIch KiNd of sHopaHoliC are u??

Below a sign labeled “SALE” dozens of shoppers fall under the pretense that luck would find them a deal.  Down the mall in kiosks where demonstrations simply do not fail, scores of uncontrollable wanderers scurry for loose change in their pocket. Around the corner from racks upon racks of clothes displaying the answers to all of your questions, may be standing a shopaholic.

The following categories will tell you if you are masking a bad habit or have a sure-tell sign of addiction.

Compulsive shopaholic

Usually starting off as a feeling of boredom or bout of depression, this type of shopper gains a sense of relief shortly after making their purchases. The problem arises though, when this shopper uses compulsion as a coping mechanism. If you are using a hairdryer to melt the ice cube that you put your credit card in, or stop everything you’re doing when your favorite stores tweet an offer, then you may be a compulsive shopper.

Bulimic shopaholic

A bulimic shopper has no problem buying items just like the compulsive shoppers do, but it’s eventually the guilt or uneasiness that pushes them to the return counter. This binge-spend dilemma gives a misleading feeling of jubilation followed shortly after by pangs of shame. If you have more credits than charges on your credit card or suffer from a bad case of buyers’ remorse, you may fall under this category.

Bargain shopaholic
Good deals are your prerogative if you are this type of shopper. In fact, being on sale gives you the go ahead to continue on with your buying frenzy.   As a result, you may have clothes you’ve never worn or gadgets that just sit on the shelf.  You may have a weakness for not walking out of a store empty-handed, but in your defense, you know that the suggested retail price doesn’t have to be the price you pay. 


Inter-reliant shopaholic
One for the psychiatrist couch, this codependent type of shopaholic seeks out approval from people. Shopaholics suffering from inter-reliance can have issues with control and can feel empty inside if they do not get support and encouragement from others. Therefore, they do not buy for themselves, instead for others, with the hopes of securing the relationship.