JOIN USWanna have some retail therapy?
Forget expensive spas and exotic holidays, if you’re burned out due to that demanding job of yours, try retail therapy.
Treating yourself to something nice not only has a lasting positive impact on your mood but also pulls you out of an emotional crisis.
According to a study published in the Journal of Psychology and Marketing in the US, retail therapy purchases were overwhelmingly beneficial, leading to mood boosts with no regrets or guilt. Shopping can actually make you happy, the study said.
“My favourite markets are Sarojini Nagar and Lajpat Nagar. I also shop at various shopping malls. I totally believe in retail therapy because it gets me out of my depression immediately. Retail therapy is also best practised with friends as they further help you feel better about any negative situation,” smiles Mehak Kapoor, a college student.
Retail therapy is shopping with the primary purpose of improving the buyer’s mood or disposition. Items purchased during periods of retail therapy are sometimes referred to as “comfort buys”.
“The retail chains are also making strategic effort to improve customers’ mood. There seem to be positive consequences of buying something and treating yourself to feel better,” says Nagendra Kumar, manager, Vishal Mega Mart.
According to psychologist Sangeeta Pradhan, “Whether you shop with friends or on your own, retail therapy forces you into a social environment. Shopping does well to get you out of the house and interact with the community. When you’re in a bad mood, it’s instinctual to go into hiding, but – as crazy as it may sound – shopping can put things in perspective and serve as a reminder that you aren’t the only person in the world.”
Sangeeta further adds, “Shopping actually causes the brain to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that provides feelings of enjoyment and pleasure. Shopping isn’t just a psychological experience, but a physical, chemical one as well.”
Despite being a proven mood-booster, it’s easy for retail therapy to get out of hand. Extravagant purchases can lead to buyer’s remorse and waiting in long queues for the checkout can actually cause more anxiety and rage.
In order for retail therapy to work, it must be approached thoughtfully. Sound recordist Sunil Agnihotri says, “Though shopping helps distract unhappiness with material reward, it certainly isn’t a complete cure. Retail therapy is best used as a reminder to treat yourself, and that’s a prescription we all need from time to time.”