New Year’s holidays pose a serious danger to the mental health of people suffering from so-called compulsive shopping (buying-shopping disorder, BSD).
These people have an irresistible desire to buy something unnecessarily, and the Internet and the ability to shop online only contribute to the development of this dependence, said scientists at the Hannover Medical School in Germany.
According to a press release on MedicalXpress, specialists conducted a study involving 122 patients with a diagnosis of BSD aged 20-68 years (75% are women). All of them have already undergone therapy, corrective behavior. Participants completed a series of diagnostic questionnaires, including the internet addiction test and the pathological buying screener. Experts also evaluated their anxiety and susceptibility to depression.
It turned out that a third of the participants suffered from intrusive shopping regarding online shopping. These people, as a rule, were on average younger than the rest, had increased anxiety and often suffered from depression.
According to scientists, the Internet allows them to quietly buy a lot of things, which in fact contributes to the development of their dependence. And on New Year’s holidays, dependence is further enhanced, as it becomes necessary to shop.
