Retail therapy isn’t self-care
Mar. 26, 2019The idea of retail therapy has never appealed to me, but there are times when I’ve found myself buying something in the name of self-care or because I thought I deserved it. Retail therapy does have some standing in terms of being a psychological coping mechanism; however, it’s hard to say how beneficial it actually is to our mental health and to our wallets. Some people use it to help with their anxious or depressive episodes or anything else they may be experiencing. Kit Yarrow, a consumer research psychologist, wrote an article for Psychology Today in which she says she does not consider retail therapy a form of therapy, but she does mention some of its positive effects, which can be seen as psychological rewards. It isn’t something that is going to cure you of your problems, but it can bring gratification for a short time.
