P047 - “I buy, therefore I am”: Perceptions of people with compulsive buying disorder regarding its characteristics, origins, and consequences

• In Event: Poster Session & Ice Cream Social

Abstract

People with compulsive buying disorder (CBD) are unable to control impulses to make unnecessary purchases, which turns the shopping from an everyday activity into something that can significantly harm their quality of life and that of their families and associates (Bridgforth, 2004). CBD has not been defined as a distinct mental disorder in the ICD-11 or DSM-5 because of a lack of empirical psychological, neurological, or genetic data that describe its unique characteristics or distinguish it from other disorders. To understand the profile of people with CBD, the causes of the disorder, and its psychological, economic, interpersonal, and even criminal sequelae, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with n=33 participants aged 21-68 who met the Clinical Screening for Compulsive Buying Questionnaire’s threshold for diagnosing a disorder (Faber & O’Guinn, 1992). Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), we identified several themes: (a) Normativity-participants were highly educated and employed. Incidence of mental disorders or other addictions was low. They also ruled out criminal activity to fund their purchases. ; (b) Obsession- participants described constant rumination about purchasing items (mainly clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics) and browsing physical or online stores; (c) Buying as a joyful experience- participants felt excitement from the moment of browsing websites to thinking about, acting on, and receiving a purchase. They considered the experience as compensation for past suffering. Most of them didn’t feel anxiety, anger, or regret, although admitted their shopping was excessive; (d) Availability- participants claimed that the availability of purchasing means (credit cards, websites, apps) exacerbated their compulsive buying. The study presents a psychological profile of people with CBD. However, this disorder cannot be understood in isolation from cultural values, the influence of the internet, and digital money.

Authors

• Etty Golan, Mrs

• Anat Zelig, PhD