For some, “50% off” posters mean nothing at all, while for others they trigger a compulsion similar to other types of addiction. Therapists say that the feeling of buying things cheaply on sale is similar to alcohol, drug and food addiction.
Even those who have not been diagnosed with an obsessive urge to buy can feel a similar euphoria.
SUBCONSCIOUS DECISION
In reality, most of us decide to buy something in a split second and don’t think long and hard about it. Lured by the lure of discount labels, we don’t go through the normal process of weighing up and thinking about the outcome. Because of the way the human brain is wired, such sudden emotional decisions are often made subconsciously.
SHOPPING
The moment we decide to buy, we feel good with a positive emotional charge. But then, just like in drug and alcohol addiction, an intense feeling of guilt sets in. This also interferes with rational thinking. We need to buy more to feel good again.
If we understand what triggers this impulse and what happens in the human brain when it arises, we can find ways to cope with this seemingly out-of-control situation.
‘TREASURE HUNT’
Entering a favorite store or shopping site triggers this feeling. This action itself commands our body to produce more dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain and, through shopping, it activates the brain’s reward and pleasure center, giving a feeling of happiness.
Some experts liken shopping to a “treasure hunt”. Searching for what you are going to buy becomes a highly motivating act in itself.
The next step falls outside the rational decision-making process. Most of us make a purchase decision in less than a second. There is a spike in brain waves, which is caused by an “emotional engagement” with the product we are buying.
Often these impulses are triggered by our previous experience with a particular brand or by the fact that an item we want to buy is on sale.
Most of us are not addicted to the things we buy. It’s more like the shopping process becomes habitual and hard to break, just like drug and alcohol addiction. In the days leading up to the moment of purchase, the excitement of shopping starts with this thought and we look forward to it.
FEAR AND COMPETITION
It can be hard to stay away from Black Friday, a day that the US and many other countries around the world offered last week as a discount shopping opportunity. During the sales, the body’s autonomic nervous system takes control of certain organs, causing them to overreact in life-or-death situations.
The fear of not being able to take advantage of a bargain puts us in “competition mode” and makes the urge to find and buy something before others uncontrollable. This is caused by acting without thinking.
For some, this triggers a sense of excitement and competition, while for others the pulse rate slows down and shopping becomes an activity that provides relaxation and distraction from daily worries and problems.
If you think that by going shopping with friends you can better control your behavior, you are wrong. On the contrary, it often has the effect of fueling shopping.
LAST REGRET
Going with friends, meeting other people shopping and reading other people’s opinions on the internet can increase a sense of connection, making it easier to buy even when in doubt.
Often you don’t even realize it. It shows up in brain waves and dilated pupils rather than a racing heartbeat and tensed muscles.
To get rid of this impulse, it can be effective to stay away from discounts, not to immediately go to the bargain section when shopping online, and not to look at the price tag of every item in the store, but only to look at the price of what you are interested in.
Experts recommend staying calm and thinking rationally. It is also useful to think about the feeling of regret after making a purchase.
Source:www.hurriyet.com.tr
