According to a 2002 Stanford University study, there are 60 million Americans addicted to shopping.

Go ahead and snicker – a shopping addiction is sometimes seen as a bit of a joke, the ditz’s addiction. It’s plenty real, though. The medical term for it is oniomania and it comes from Greek words that translate literally as “for sale” and “insanity.” The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recognizes it as a real disorder and those who actually suffer from it certainly suffer some real effects – bankruptcy, depression, and even suicide.

All of us love a good shopping spree once in a while, but how do you know when your craving of new shoes, toys, and gadgets is an actual problem? According to the experts, you may have a problem if you can answer “yes” to these questions:

• Do you buy things when you want them, regardless of your ability to pay for the items?
• Do you shop to cheer yourself up or to feel better?
• Do you charge items that you can’t afford but want?
• Are you having a hard time saving money?
• Do you get upset if you can’t shop?
• Are you in financial trouble or living paycheck to paycheck because of the way you spend money?
• Do you spend hours each week shopping for non-essentials such as DVDs, books, CDs, or clothes, or browsing catalogues for these items?
• Would you choose shopping over any other fun activity?
• Do you keep buying items you don’t need?
• Do you hide your buys because you feel embarrassed by your shopping?
• Would you be embarrassed to admit how much you shop or how you manage your finances?
• Do you proudly consider yourself a “shopping addict?” For example, do you have pillows that say “born to shop” or t-shirts that say the same thing? Would your friends consider these sort of items appropriate for a gift for you?

Occasionally buying something for yourself to reward yourself isn’t a bad thing, but if your answers were largely “yes” you might want to curb your spending or seek out help. There are support groups and therapists that can help you cut the habit. And who knows what exciting things you can discover to do once your shopping addiction is out of the way?

Many of us get addicted to something at some point, so don’t beat yourself up over it. But don’t ignore it, either. Don’t joke about it or belittle it, or you’ll end up one of the guests on those talk shows – with a house full of crap and a huge debt to show for your addiction.

Tame it now.

Related posts:

1. 10 Signs You’re Addicted to Debt
2. Debit, Credit, Charge It: Your Choices in Plastic
3. Debit Cards Vs. Credit Cards: Plastic Showdown
4. The Yard Sale Goldmine
5. Freezing Your Cards and Other Zany Ways to Stop Overspending