A shopaholic would rather shop than cry or sleep on it. Unlike the general population, shopaholics would, as the name suggests, shop any time they feel low.
Elsa Angel Rose
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None of the ongoing crises affects them much, for all they care is shopping. It is quite interesting to know more about how a shopaholic views life, its ups and downs, and how they bring it all back to having a good burger, putting together a gorgeous ensemble, or hoarding antiques and books, or simply experiencing bartering, thrifting, bargaining, window shopping, or just splurging at fancy stores.
Shopping away the blues
Certainly, they are staunch believers of ‘Retail Therapy’, and from what they have shared, it seems that shopping actually seems to lessen all life problems. It can include having a terrible day at work, getting low grades, or fighting with a loved one, but somehow, adding an item to your cart, placing an order online, visiting a cute thrift store, or bartering with a fellow shopaholic makes it all feel right again. “I love clothes, outfits and jewellery, anything that ups my fashion game. I end up relying very much on retail therapy. I really love shoes; I have a huge obsession with them as well as jewellery, as they really just elevate my mood. I’m all for trying new things, and I love mixing and matching, but I tend to go a little overboard with my spending, especially since I’ve started earning,” said Bernice Mendes, a 21-year-old from Aldona.
“I’m definitely a shopaholic when it comes to books. I buy at least 1 book every month. Not to mention that whenever a book I want goes on sale, I buy it, and I visit my local bookshop nearly every month. Books have always been an escape for me. Reading helps me cope with situations by simply allowing me to take a break from them. So the act of buying books becomes therapeutic for me because I have something to look forward to, despite whatever might be going on in my life,” said Sonalaya Maurya from Margao.
Shopping is the ultimate comfort
It is not just about experiencing comfort, but also about regaining a sense of control over your life. “Usually, I buy things online from thrift stores, and they take around 2-3 weeks to deliver, so most of the time I end up having multiple parcels to look forward to. Sometimes, if I don’t shop in a while, I miss the thrill of having a parcel to look forward to. I don’t like spending for the sake of it. At the most, sometimes I’ll abstain from buying something because I don’t want to spend, and when I feel low, and I need cheering up, I’ll give in and buy it,” said Tiara Menezes, a graphic designer from Dona Paula. She added, “I feel if I ever doubt myself or feel disconnected, shopping, dressing up and styling something differently makes me feel really good about myself, and it affirms my identity.”
It’s not that shopaholics do not experience guilt for buying mindlessly (sometimes they do). “I feel guilty only sometimes. For instance, it happens when I’m aware I’ve made a horrible financial decision for the rest of the month by buying a whole stack of books, which happens a lot, unfortunately,” said Sonalaya. Even though they regularly shop, a few shopaholics still manage not to hoard. “I really think it’s important not to hoard, which is why when I do buy myself something new, whatever it may be, I try to upcycle something old or give them away to thrift shops or charity or sell them off. I cannot be fully happy knowing I’m hoarding clothes; I need to have some sort of self-restraint,” said Bernice.
Food, fashion, and feel-good finds
“Right now I’m obsessed with vests and jackets because I feel like it’s something that adds to an outfit, and there are a lot of fun ways to style them,” said Tiara. Even while one is obsessed with purchasing, it is still possible to do mindful shopping. “I think everyone who knows me would say I am a shopaholic, except I feel that even though I do spend a lot, I don’t really buy unless something really calls out to me and I can imagine how I would style it. So at times when I go shopping with my friends, I end up buying nothing at all,” said Tiara. For her, the most favourite aspect of shopping is the product aesthetics and the possibility of wearing a new outfit.
“Grabbing a snack is one of those easy wins when you’re having a rough day. It’s not just about the food; it’s about the break it gives you,” shared Racheal D’Souza, a student from Mapusa. For her, retail therapy equals trying varieties of food items. When asked about her thoughts on buying food to uplift her mood, she replied, “The way you feel afterwards usually depends on the ‘why’ behind the buy. If it feels like a totally random, unnecessary purchase, a little bit of guilt might creep in. But if it’s something you’ve been craving or thinking about for a while, that guilt doesn’t really show up. When you’ve been wanting it, it feels more like a deserved treat than just a random impulse, so you can actually enjoy it,”
Shopaholics definitely find comfort in their carts, but their habits reflect something deeper, a search for happiness, identity, and control in uncertain moments. While retail therapy can offer temporary relief, mindful choices help balance indulgence with responsibility. In the end, it’s not just about what they buy, but how they use these experiences to cope with the lows and rediscover themselves.
