This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
November 17, 2019, 11:37:43 GMT +0300
Online shopping has become an integral part of modern life, with many of us turning to the internet for our shopping needs. However, for some individuals, this habit has become an addiction, leading experts to suggest that it should be classified as a mental health condition.
Researchers from Hannover Medical School have conducted a study on buying-shopping disorder (BSD), which they claim should be recognized as a separate mental health condition. The condition is characterized by an extreme preoccupation with shopping, a craving for goods, and urges to own certain items.
According to Dr. Astrid Muller, who led the study, people with BSD tend to buy more than they can afford and often hoard goods. In the long run, this condition can lead to extreme distress, family issues, and even embezzlement.
The researchers analyzed data from earlier studies on 122 patients seeking treatment for BSD and hope that their findings will encourage mental health experts to explore the condition further, especially given the rapid growth of the online shopping industry.
Dr. Muller added, “We hope that our results showing the prevalence of addictive online shopping among treatment-seeking patients with BSD will encourage future research addressing the distinct phenomenological characteristics, underlying features, associated comorbidity, and specific treatment concepts.”
