How Functional Are The Effects of Retail Therapy?

Written by Rita Jabbour

Thumbnail Photo by Getty Images on Forbes

With our fast-paced lives comes the need to seek quick and easy relief from our sadness and irritation. One technique that has managed to crawl its way into our reality is the concept of retail therapy. And although we may toss the phrase around lightly, how well do we know what it means and how effective it can be?

According to the Oxford English dictionary, retail therapy is shopping to make oneself feel better. In other words, it can be a quick way to fix your mood on a bad day. The phrase can be traced back to first appearing in a 1986 Chicago Tribune article titled “A Stopwatch on Shopping.” The author criticizes the tendency to seek out shopping as a means of curing a sour mood. Yet, sometimes, going shopping after a long day at work or school does essentially help to put a smile on your face.

In a 2011 study, data showed that in a population of 220 adult shoppers purchasing self-treats, 62% of shoppers bought something for the sole purpose of making themselves feel better, while another 28% bought something to celebrate an event in their lives. This suggests, whether we are aware of it or not, that many of us tend to employ retail therapy as a means to cheer ourselves up. 

So, how does retail therapy actually work to elevate your gloominess? 

Retail therapy can make you feel better for a number of reasons, one of which is that it gives you the sense that you are in control. Lots of different things can happen throughout your day over which you have no control; this can leave you feeling uncomfortable, irritable, and upset. When things have not been going the way you want them to, being able to walk into a store of your choice can give you back some sense of power over your life decisions. Not only that, but choosing something you like in a store and deciding to buy it are also two more decisions that you are making on your own that directly satisfy your desires. By making your own decisions on your retail trip, you begin to feel more at ease with yourself; the simple act of buying something new can restore independence, control, and autonomy into your life.

Another reason why retail therapy can make you feel better about yourself is that it offers an effortless distraction from whatever is worrying or upsetting you. As I previously suggested in the How to Patch Up a Sour Mood article, changing your environment can be beneficial when you are feeling down. And this is precisely what you would be doing if you decide to go shopping. However, you should be pleased to know that going shopping in an attempt to liven up your surroundings does have additional benefits from a simple change like varying the room in which you study. When you are at a retail store, there are an infinite number of things that can stimulate your senses, from the multi-coloured displays of products to the fanatical store decors and brightly lit areas. This extravagance can be thrilling, engaging different parts of your visual, auditory, and tactile senses, and it creates a fun interruption from your current reality. This sensory stimulation can create a unique experience that distracts you from your troubles and anxiety, even if it only does so for a little while.  

Photo by Alexander Kovacs on Unsplash

Let’s take a quick break for a short biology lesson: You have an exceptional chemical in your brain called dopamine. It is a neurotransmitter involved in neurological and psychological functioning. It plays a significant role in several body functions, such as decision-making, mood, and motor control. Dopamine is also a key contributor to your reward anticipation system. The brain releases this neurotransmitter whenever you are expecting to be rewarded. It is a chemical associated with the anticipation of pleasure and is consequently one that can make you feel better when high levels of it are released. Now, you might wonder why you went from reading about retail therapy to reading about some chemical in your brain. Well, as I said, dopamine is released in your brain due to anticipating a reward. Even the expectation of pleasure you feel at the thought of buying something you like has the power to trigger a dopamine release which, in turn, improves your mood. Dopamine is implicated in enhancing your mood and creating a feeling of motivation – This hormone’s release will encourage you to constantly search for a ‘happiness pill’- something or anything that will make you feel better about yourself. In addition, the mere act of saving up enough to buy something you like contributes to the release of dopamine as you anticipate the time you will be able to make that purchase. 

With some of the main reasons for retail therapy’s successful functioning explained, let’s move on to what you should be aware of when letting your retail imaginations run wild. Although we have established that retail therapy does, indeed, have the ability to lighten your mood, it is crucial to shop responsibly. Retail therapy should not be your first resort when having a bad day. The first reason is that you will more than likely run into debt if you buy something every time you’re feeling down. Don’t do it. You are bound to experience a few bad days and upsetting encounters, and it’s not sustainable to run to a store each time to relieve that anxiety. The second reason is that if you let retail therapy become your go-to technique for feeling better, you could end up with some serious issues. For example, you could develop a shopping addiction called compulsive buying disorder (CBD) or perhaps buyer’s remorse which occurs when you regret making a purchase. Therefore, it is crucial to only engage in retail therapy controllably; keep track of your purchases, only buy the things you need when you really need them and try not to rely on shopping as anxiety relief. Instead, try to find other coping mechanisms such as exercising, meditating, or going to therapy. 

Nevertheless, if you know you are being responsible and careful, buying something small and pleasing every once in a while will not hurt you. One tip is to make sure you purchase something you will see or use regularly. Doing so ensures that you experience the positive effects you get when buying something over an extended period rather than just during the few moments it takes to complete a purchase. Some ideas for affordable and enjoyable items include getting some delicious snacks, a hot (or iced) cup of coffee, a new mug (or cup, or bowl), a board/card game, some organizing tools like dividers and bins, or a small (or giant) houseplant!

Finally, when done responsibly, retail therapy can have some beneficial effects on alleviating your sadness or anxiety. However, remember to stay aware of your habits and seek help if you feel yourself losing control over your spending. Bear in mind that retail therapy is meant to give you a sense of control over your decisions, don’t let it control you. Allow it to be a distraction from your everyday hassles, but not so much that it becomes your only coping mechanism. Enjoy your dopamine rush insofar as your motivation to look for additional pleasing items does not become your only goal.