Obviously most people enjoy shopping. So when a friend called last week and said “I need some retail therapy let’s go shopping”, I wondered was this good or bad? As she had just went through a bad break-up, was this a way to deal with it?? Of course we hit the mall after all what are friends for and we had a great time. But I thought to myself a few days later is retail therapy a thing?
Because I still to this day remember the thrill and pride I felt when I went shopping for my own school clothes with the money I earned babysitting that summer. Especially being able to pick out my own wardrobe without anyone else’s opinion or suggestions!! Clearly a euphoric feeling that I am able to remember that experience 50 years later!!
Retail Therapy who coined that phrase?
So I went looking to find out just when did the phrase “retail therapy” become part of our vocabulary? This phrase was first used by a writer (Mary Schmich) for the Chicago Tribune on Christmas Eve 1986: “We’ve become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy.”
Of course after that therapists and scientists alike jumped onboard with differing theories. Soon studies began this is one of the first published in the journal Psychology and Marketing. They revealed that “shopping can improve a sour mood. For shopping is a logical coping mechanism. They are able to control where they go and what they purchase.”
Accordingly a study by University of Michigan researchers stated: shopping to relieve stress (otherwise known as retail therapy) was up to 40 times more effective at giving people “a sense of control” and that shoppers were three times less sad compared to those that only browsed for items.
Hmmm seems like Mary had something there!!!
Retail Therapy improves mood
Why does shopping make us happy? Studies have shown that shopping actually causes our brain to release more Serotonin. Which is a chemical that makes you feel good! So there you go. The next time you are having a bad day, maybe you should seek a little mood boost by doing a little shopping.
To be sure that is why the Cambridge dictionary defines retail therapy “as an act of buying special things for yourself to make you feel better when you are unhappy.” Nailed It!!
The downside, too much shopping
Of course we have all heard the word “Shopaholic”!! Clearly to emphasize someone who may be shopping too much. Generally used to poke some fun at someone. But seriously there is a medical term for it when it becomes problematic. And that term is Oniomania, which comes from the Greek onios meaning “for sale” and mania meaning “insanity”. (come on, that is a little rough!!)
However your finances may suffer by over shopping. Thus replacing the temporary “feel good high” with some real emotional distress. Nobody needs that downswing in their life. So have fun within your budget, or just window shop with friends just to get out. And forget your worries for awhile.
Need some stress relief?
As a consequence of life’s everyday stresses we all need a way to decompress and relax. And I have a solution for that!! Especially after Christmas shopping, and that is with a glass of fine wine!! Because nothing is so relaxing and delicious as a fine wine from Napa Valley!! Furthermore you do not have to shop for it, these fine wines are delivered right to your door!!
So convenient and affordable, our monthly wine of the month club features the best wines exclusively from Napa and Sonoma Valley wineries!! Even more these choice and coveted wines are selected for us by experts!!! Absolutely the best wines are chosen for us and every month at least one of the bottles are valued over $100!! (often we get 2 bottles out of the 4 valued that high) So for only $99.95 you get 4 bottles delivered to you each and every month!! You really need to check out my fine wine page here!!!
Response Magic