Retail therapy has become increasingly common over the last decade with the launch of websites like Amazon, Etsy, ASOS, etc. that work as online merchants.
Now you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own bedroom to shop for whatever you want. While shopping to relieve yourself from stress might be handy in a lot of ways, it has plenty of downsides to it too.
Cons of Retail Therapy
1. You Might Go Into Debt
While retail therapy can be a good temporary mood elevator, it’s important to note that the satisfaction from it is usually short-lived. You might have buyer’s remorse a day after buying something you thought you needed.
Thankfully, most online merchants these days offer full refunds and cancellations on their products. However, relying on retail therapy for continuous stress relief can run you into debt. In that case, it’ll only make your life harder by adding to your anxieties.
2. It Chips Away at Your Impulse Control
It can be hard to stop yourself from giving in to the temptation of buying something the moment you want it once you get into the habit of shopping whenever you feel stressed or sad.
3. It Only Acts as a Temporary Stress Relief
Shopping can only make you happy for a brief period of time. Once the high of shopping wears off, you’ll be right back where you started.
Retail therapy cannot be a solution to any of your problems. At best, it acts as a temporary stress relief. There will be a time when you’ll come down from the elation of buying new things, and you’ll have to come back to reality and find an actual solution to the problems in your life.
Final Thoughts
Retail therapy can be useful for dealing with minor problems in life. It can also act as a placeholder for actual psychotherapy and help you get through tough times. However, it’s not a long-term solution for problems in life.