Sadie, a purchasing agent, has secretly battled compulsive shopping, accumulating $20,000 in debt while concealing it from her husband. Her case highlights a growing concern among specialists regarding the rise of compulsive shopping due to e-commerce platforms employing addictive design strategies. Historically recognized as "krankhafte Kauflust" by Emil Kraepelin, the issue is worsening with online retail’s psychological influence turning shopping into a potentially addictive behavior. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist, notes the internet has transformed shopping into a highly engaging activity, reminiscent of drug-like experiences, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this trend.
"I couldn't believe it," she says. "I never told my husband how bad it was." Sadie reflects her shock and shame regarding her compulsive shopping and debts.
The Internet has, in effect, turned "mundane behaviours" such as shopping into "something that resembles a drug", observes psychiatrist Anna Lembke on online shopping psychology.
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