Some turn to various interests such as drawing, writing, music, painting, arts and crafts and the like. Others turn to online shopping.
I actually got this idea from a meme I saw posted.
Therapist: "And what do we say when we are feeling lonely and depressed?"
Patient: "Add to Cart."
Therapist: "NO!"
The meme, of course was meant to be funny. But there is more truth in it than we care to admit.
With the way things are, we can't just go to the store the way we used to. It's an adventure now. Masks, gloves, wrapping yourself in clear-wrap and the like. Then they only allow a certain number to people to enter at any one time and you are stuck in the cold, or the heat (Vegas in the Summer) waiting your turn to go in and try to maintain 6 feet between you and every other human being in the store. UGH!
So, society has embraced online shopping more than ever. It is a good thing, you can get anything you want from the safety of your own home. Or is it? We are forced into solitude and isolation by the rules. (You may insert your own rant here...I will keep my thoughts to myself). Humans by nature are not solitary creatures. We thrive on relationships and human contact. We need to feel the touch of a friend, have a shoulder to literally cry on, or just sit in a room and talk to each other. Facetime, Zoom, Messaging, all that is fine to a point, but none of that replaces the human contact that is genetic to human beings. (Or any animal that is not a solitary hunter).
So, we hole up in our caves and try to replace that need with buying crap. Hey, don't get me wrong, I get a lot of stuff on line now instead of going to the Mart. Essentials. Stuff I would get on a daily basis. If I don't need t today, I can prime my way to delivery tomorrow.
I am, of course talking about the online shopping experience that involves hours of boredom-scrolling through your shopping platform(s) of choice and buying on impulse. Things you would never think to buy or even want to buy if you were out in the shopping wild. We justify it by saying to ourselves I am not doing anything else, why not treat myself to a.....(fill in useless thing you will never use here).
Admittedly, I have done my share of this too, but never to excess. I may think I need a new computer keyboard that lights up, buy it, and low an behold, I am typing on it now. Did I need it? Not really. But it is something I justify because I actually wanted it and did a search for it. Pre-meditated shopping!
Only you can decide what is ADD TO CART binge shopping to fill a void in your life. But like anything else, admitting you are doing it is the first step. Only you can be your own shopping police. Be aware, be conscious of what you are doing and why. Get up, walk around and think Do I really need or want this thing before you ADD TO CART. You might even save a little money!
You might do one more add to cart and order my book. The Self Help Book for People Who Hate Self Help Books.
Available on Amazon and Nook, iBooks and other e readers.
Have a great day!
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