Status
Available
Publication
Trumpeter (2008), 288 pages
Description
According to a recent study, it is estimated that more than 10 million Americans are unable to stop themselves from frequent shopping binges that lead to debt, damaged relationships, and depression. In this book, April Lane Benson draws on decades of clinical experience and on recent research to offer information, insights, and practical strategies for overcoming compulsive buying.The cardinal signs of compulsive buying are-* Frequent purchases of unneeded or unaffordable items* Intrusive or uncontrollable impulses to buy* Emotional let-down or feelings of guilt after shoppingIn plain and encouraging language, Dr. Benson helps readers to identify their "overshopping sequence"-the pattern of triggers, actions, and aftershocks (or negative consequences) that plague compulsive buyers. With this awareness of the dynamics of their shopping problem, readers gain the ability to address the root causes. Dr. Benson demonstrates how unaddressed emotional pain can drive us to overshop, as can limited and unrealistic concepts about what will make us truly happy in life.To promote recovery, she offers readers an integrated approach that enlists the mind, the heart, and even the body to develop a mindful awareness around shopping and take back control over buying and spending. Includes patient stories, practical strategies, exercises, and information on financial planning.… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member Pandababy
Take one (former) shopaholic. Give her a Ph.D. in psychology and ten years experience treating over-shopping. Publish her book about how to get free of the vast consumer conspiracy surrounding us, and you have Dr. April Lane Benson and her vital new book: To Buy or Not to Buy.
This is not a
Sometimes to all of the above, and other questions in chapter one. Like a trip to the dentist, confronting my negative behavior and the psychology behind it can be painful, but also healing. I love this book, because there is healing in getting the rot out. Dr. Benson offers a way to find authentic happiness to replace the false esteem of keeping up with (or exceeding) the 'Joneses'. She points out the relentless consumerism driving our economy, with tentacles invading our conciousness through stores, malls, television, catalogs, Internet and even cell phone shopping. She uncovers the true cost of credit card purchases, and documents the ways invisible forces demand that we buy "more more more and now now now".
Knowledge is power. Self-knowledge is the power to change. To Buy or Not to Buy is a tool that can enable us to get free of our compulsive shopping. If you are confident that you don't have any shopping addictions, I challenge you to go to a bookstore and browse her book - consider the many ways we can fool ourselves into buying things to fill an emotional hole rather than a material need.
I recognized some of my buying patterns in her analysis, and also patterns of friends and relatives. Our materialistic society is even more insidious than I suspected. There is compassion and not condemnation in Dr. Benson's words. I recommend her book and I will be spending the next three months working through all the exercises. I have two pages of notes this morning, a start to the journal she recommends keeping.
There is no such thing as an insignificant cavity - as we all know, sooner or later it will destroy the tooth. I am going to be working on the occasional - but not insignificant - ways that I over-shop, and expect that the result will be good, even if the process is sometimes painful.
This is not a
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comfortable book for me to read. I find my behavior unmasked and as undeniable as my shoulder-length gray hair. Have I used shopping to feel better about myself? Yes. Have I used shopping to avoid confronting a situation I want to avoid? Yes. Have I used shopping as a weapon to express anger? Yes.Sometimes to all of the above, and other questions in chapter one. Like a trip to the dentist, confronting my negative behavior and the psychology behind it can be painful, but also healing. I love this book, because there is healing in getting the rot out. Dr. Benson offers a way to find authentic happiness to replace the false esteem of keeping up with (or exceeding) the 'Joneses'. She points out the relentless consumerism driving our economy, with tentacles invading our conciousness through stores, malls, television, catalogs, Internet and even cell phone shopping. She uncovers the true cost of credit card purchases, and documents the ways invisible forces demand that we buy "more more more and now now now".
Knowledge is power. Self-knowledge is the power to change. To Buy or Not to Buy is a tool that can enable us to get free of our compulsive shopping. If you are confident that you don't have any shopping addictions, I challenge you to go to a bookstore and browse her book - consider the many ways we can fool ourselves into buying things to fill an emotional hole rather than a material need.
I recognized some of my buying patterns in her analysis, and also patterns of friends and relatives. Our materialistic society is even more insidious than I suspected. There is compassion and not condemnation in Dr. Benson's words. I recommend her book and I will be spending the next three months working through all the exercises. I have two pages of notes this morning, a start to the journal she recommends keeping.
There is no such thing as an insignificant cavity - as we all know, sooner or later it will destroy the tooth. I am going to be working on the occasional - but not insignificant - ways that I over-shop, and expect that the result will be good, even if the process is sometimes painful.
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LibraryThing member PensiveCat
Though not a long book, it's interactive, so I haven't quite made it to the last page. Because of this, my review is running late, so I thought I'd slip in a so far...
I wish I'd had this book 10 years ago. I'm a recovering shopaholic, and suffered through years of overbuying and credit card debt. I
My only issue is with the title. If I'm in Barnes and Noble, and trying to keep myself from buying more books to add to the massive TBR pile, I might apply "To Buy or Not to Buy?" to this book itself (after all, overshoppers rarely actually buy what they need.)
I wish I'd had this book 10 years ago. I'm a recovering shopaholic, and suffered through years of overbuying and credit card debt. I
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could have used the encouragement and the true understanding of what is behind this problem. With different journal projects and analysis, we learn why some people overshop, what is the deep meaning behind our expenditures and reasonings, and get a picture of how our society has helped make us this way. I actually felt emotional reading certain paragraphs that seemed designed for me. My only issue is with the title. If I'm in Barnes and Noble, and trying to keep myself from buying more books to add to the massive TBR pile, I might apply "To Buy or Not to Buy?" to this book itself (after all, overshoppers rarely actually buy what they need.)
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LibraryThing member PaperCrystals
Somehow I received the impression that this book was going to be more of a study on the societal pressure to shop, and not so much a self-help book... I feel that I can't give a proper review, as I am not the target audience for the book.
Because I am not an overshopper, it was hard to hold my
I was interested in the stories of specific overshoppers and the mindset that caused them to overshop; they gave a good look into the reason that the book was written.
Because I am not an overshopper, it was hard to hold my
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interest in the book, although it seemed to be well-laid out and a basic, step-by-step guide to analyzing one's one tendencies to spend more money than one should. I was interested in the stories of specific overshoppers and the mindset that caused them to overshop; they gave a good look into the reason that the book was written.
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LibraryThing member jayble
"To Buy or Not To Buy" was an interesting book to read, although if I weren't reviewing it, I doubt it would have held my interest for the entirety of the book. This is not because the book was poorly written or because it didn't give good information, it was interesting and it did give good
That said, I think anyone who shops compulsively would really benefit from reading this book. It has a lot of helpful ideas and it will cause the reader to really think about why they buy the things they buy and whether or not they should. For those wanting to stop buying compulsively this would be a really good book to read and I would recommend it highly.
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information, but it is geared more towards compulsive shoppers as opposed to the public at large.That said, I think anyone who shops compulsively would really benefit from reading this book. It has a lot of helpful ideas and it will cause the reader to really think about why they buy the things they buy and whether or not they should. For those wanting to stop buying compulsively this would be a really good book to read and I would recommend it highly.
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LibraryThing member timepiece
Sadly, I misread the description on this one - I thought it was more of a sociological study on why people (in general) overconsume. But it's actually a self-help book for people who overshop themselves.
As I do not fall into that category, I find it hard to say how helpful this book would be, but
As I do not fall into that category, I find it hard to say how helpful this book would be, but
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it certainly seemed like it did a good job examining multiple reasons why people would feel compelled to shop, explaining how to determine your own unconscious impulses, and showing how to combat them. Show Less
LibraryThing member sedelia
A great book that provides valuable steps for learning how to gain confidence and take control of your life and your debt. The program Dr. Benson provides is not an easy one, but if the reader puts in the work, they will definitely become more mindful of the underlying causes of their compulsive
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shopping as well as their shopping habits. Show Less
LibraryThing member MrStevens
Like other reviewers I thought this book would be a sociological study of the problem. I too am not in the target audience. Because of this, I had a difficult time keeping my attention on the book.
People who need this book should be aware of the time it would take to go through the whole thing. It
People who need this book should be aware of the time it would take to go through the whole thing. It
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reads like a college textbook with a semester's worth of homework, charts, and diagrams to go through. Show Less
LibraryThing member jasoncomely
This eye-opening guide uncovers the various types of overshopping and the emotional patterns that drive us to buy. Anyone could benefit from reading this.
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
288 p.; 9.02 inches
ISBN
159030599X / 9781590305997