The Danger of Consumerism During Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Friday, November 23rd brings Black Friday, as it does every year—an American trend that has also been celebrated in Spain for several years now. Stores and retailers offer major discounts before the holiday shopping season. And sales skyrocket on this day. Consequently, Monday the 26th brings Cyber Monday. This is exclusive to online retailers and is primarily a day of discounts on technology products.
People view Black Friday and Cyber Monday as an opportune time to take care of their holiday shopping.
These are days of heavy consumption, due to the ease of buying and selling. We have everything at our fingertips thanks to online shopping. For this reason, they can increase the risk of shopping addiction.
This addiction is an irresistible impulse for uncontrolled shopping of products that are very often unnecessary. It is a type of addiction increasingly present in today’s society. In women, it is usually related to purchasing clothing or beauty products. And in men, to electronic devices, cars, or computer equipment.
One of the main problems that arises is financial, as the growing need to shop generates anxiety. And affected individuals may end up asking friends or family members for money. But in addition to this problem, it also generates feelings of shame and loss of control. These are symptoms that can ultimately lead to depression.
Being an addiction, help is required to overcome it, as the lack of impulse control makes the problem difficult to recognize and resolve.
There is always a way out
At CC Adicciones, we believe that the support of family and friends and the assistance of specialized professionals are essential. Cognitive-behavioral therapies are the most appropriate, with group therapy sessions or mutual support groups. In this way, patients benefit from the opportunity to share the problem with people who suffer from the same addiction.
