Just about everyone can relate to the feeling of sheer joy shopping can bring. Whether it’s the full day out or just a quick dash, most people find shopping an enjoyable activity and are certain to feel excitement in going out to the shops and seeing what they find.
For me, shopping at the Christmas markets around December is always a guaranteed way of raising my spirits. By why do we feel so happy when shopping?
You are sure to have heard of the term ‘retail therapy’ before and may have wondered whether it actually works. The goal of retail therapy is simple: to improve your mood by shopping. Is there psychology behind this? Well, according to health.clevelandclinic.org, we receive a dopamine rush when we go shopping, which relieves feelings of stress or sadness. But why is this? The clinic interviewed psychologist Dr Susan Abers, who said the dopamine hit “can start before you even leave the house because you’re delighting in all the possibilities”. Once you hit the shops, the act of finding and purchasing something new triggers the reward system in the brain to release the dopamine hormone, creating the feeling of pleasure.
A 2014 study at the Journal of Consumer Psychology found that a leading cause of sadness stems from the feeling of a lack of power. Shopping gives us a sense of control, and can therefore be comforting for many people, boosting their happiness. Dr Abers continued to explain that shopping gives us a sense of “positive personal achievement”, further increasing our joy.
Of course, spending unnecessarily can always have negative effects. From a sustainability standpoint, it is also highly un-ecological to buy lots of clothes we don’t need. Continuous unnecessary purchases can have a negative impact on our environment. Particularly when we fall into the trap of buying an item, thinking it will get lots of use, only to find it 6 months later, worn once, in the back of our wardrobes. I find ‘shopping’ in my wardrobe can be just as exciting as going out to the shops, finding excitement in things I had forgotten existed.
Moreover, buying from charity shops and thrift stores has become increasingly popular over the past few years, including buying second hand on websites like Vinted or Depop. This can be a great way of getting the dopamine rush from shopping, whilst helping the environment.
Dr Abers added “research suggests there’s significant psychological and therapeutic value to shopping – when done in moderation of course”.
Interestingly, resisting the urge to buy something has similar mood-boosting effects. Most people can relate to the proud feeling when you save that £10 on a top you didn’t really need.
Therefore, retail therapy, whether it results in spending or not spending can be an excellent mood boost – a perfect way to make us happy.
