Buying-shopping disorder

Aim The aim of this talk is to address clinical and theoretical considerations as well as empirical evidence for buying-shopping disorder (BSD).

Method Narrative literature review.

Results BSD is characterized by excessive preoccupations with buying/shopping, poorly controlled impulses to purchase that are experienced as irresistible, and recurrent maladaptive buying/shopping excesses that lead to marked distress and impairments. Efforts to stop BSD episodes are unsuccessful, despite the awareness of repeated break-downs in self-regulation, experiences of post-purchase guilt and regret, comorbid psychiatric disorders, reduced quality of life, familial discord, work impairment, financial problems and other negative consequences. Population-based studies provided evidence that BSD is a cross-national problem with an estimated point prevalence of 5%. In the ICD-11 coding tool, BSD is now mentioned as an example for the residual category “Other specified impulse control disorders” (category 6C7Y). Recent research findings indicate shared key characteristics of BSD with substance-use disorders and gambling disorder such as maladaptive decision-making processes, increased salience of disorder-specific stimuli, cue-induced craving and reward seeking.

Discussion BSD can be considered a disorder due to addictive behaviors that should be examined in its genetic, psychological, social, cultural, and environmental contexts.