YSaturday, July 01, 2006
into the head of a first-time compulsive buyer
We decided to call it a day. Under the street lamp, we said our goodbyes before heading separate ways. Lugging a couple of shopping bags which contained my "proud conquests of the day", I made my way along Orchard Road to the Orchard Emerald bus stop.
But something strange happened. As I walked, the high I got from shopping seemed to evaporate. I felt more empty than ever. Walking against the direction of the night breeze, I began throwing questions at myself, which only got me more confused.
I started drowning in thought. What on earth had possessed me? The Hungry Great Singapore Sale Ghost (afterall the 7th lunar month is coming)? Am I feeling ok? Was I really happy when I shopped? Ok I was happy shopping. But why is it that I don't feel the same now? Am I'm buying things to subconciously starve off feelings of insecurity? or boredom? or something else?
And that term, "retail therapy"? I don't quite like it. I suspect that it's a commercial trick which has duped many women for centuries. Some of us just can't get enough of shoes - even though we have a whole rack of them that allows us to wear one pair each day for the next 3 years.
Yeah, it's common that girls buy things to make themselves happy but... my point is, we could be buying on impulse, because we are feeling sad, angry, bored, insecure, yada yada. Engaging in "retail therapy" is synonymous with running away from issues which may need to be addressed.
Then again, it may be hard for girls to understand what I'm saying. They may even be scoffing at me right now because it makes no sense to them. I understand. Women are very emotional creatures. More emotional than practical, in fact. When something bothers us, we rant just to let steam out. We don't rant to find solutions. We rant to make us feel better. Solutions come second. Same way with shopping perhaps. We shop to make us feel better. Similar to how drinking works too...
Ah! Perhaps it can be better explained by saying complusive shopping is like binge drinking: it doesnt solve my problem, it just makes me forget my problem (temporarily). and of course the nasty after-effects of both addictions never fail to make me feel more empty and shitti-fied than ever (with reference to not just my wallet but my mind, body and soul too).
Psychologists don't recommend retail therapy to clients. 'Retail Therapy' is just a term some smart-ass business minded person came up with, to make people feel less guilty about their complusive buying habits so that they will continue to make his cash registers ring! And I, was one of the conned.
cai was here with you at