A Pill To Cure Compulsive Shopping

[Janak Parekh]

http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/200...pingpill_030728

Are you guilty of buying too many PDAs? Or... PDA cases, styli, cradles, memory cards, what have you? Well, compulsive shopping might be a curable disorder. 8O

"Anti-depressants can help people stop their compulsive shopping, according to new research. An American team has discovered that citalopram, sold as Cipramil, reduces compulsive shopping tendencies in people who 'binge shop.' Citalopram belongs to a class of anti-depressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The medication works to raise the serotonin levels in the brain. It's thought that reduced transmission of serotonin plays a role in causing depression."

Wait a second... does this mean our PDA obsession is stemming from depression? :lol:

[Janak Parekh]

http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/200...pingpill_030728

Are you guilty of buying too many PDAs? Or... PDA cases, styli, cradles, memory cards, what have you? Well, compulsive shopping might be a curable disorder. 8O

"Anti-depressants can help people stop their compulsive shopping, according to new research. An American team has discovered that citalopram, sold as Cipramil, reduces compulsive shopping tendencies in people who 'binge shop.' Citalopram belongs to a class of anti-depressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The medication works to raise the serotonin levels in the brain. It's thought that reduced transmission of serotonin plays a role in causing depression."

Wait a second... does this mean our PDA obsession is stemming from depression? :lol:

[Brad Adrian]

Geez. They make it sound like compulsive shopping is a BAD thing...!

[Mitch D]

As much as I hate to admit this is true, three years ago I was diagnosed with clinical depression and I know I used to go shopping constantly for "toys" without thought to the things I was buying or the money I was spending. It caused more than it's share of problems at home.

Once I started taking medication for the depression this habit all but stopped. I think now before I spend, doesn't mean I don't buy toys I am just more selective in what I buy. I remember the shrink saying something about spending money on yourself made you feel better by relaesing some chemical in the brain.

Well that's my two cents worth.

[dean_shan]

I need some of that for my Grandma.

[yodacai]

Compulsive Shopping is classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as an Impulse Control Disorder. It is in the same broad category as say Pathological Gambling (technically, 312.30 Impulse-Control Disorders NOS). Essentially, in this classification of disorders, the individual feels an increased sense of tension or arousal before committing the act (shopping, gambling, etc.) and then experiences pleasure, gratification, or relief at the time of the committed act. Quite a bit of the current research suggests that these Impulse-Control Disorders may be organic in nature and thus the meds have a positive effect on the individual. SSRI's (i.e. Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil) are also used to treat Obsessive-Compulsive disorder. Seems seritonin plays an important role within the brain. Other therapy has been successful in treatment of impulse control, but I won't go into that here (a tad bit off topic).

Well, there you go boys and girls, your boring mental health education for the day.

PS-
Any other mental health professionals that would like to add or correct my statements, please step in and do so. I am definately not the ultimate authority in this field. I have even been known to be wrong once or twice... just ask my wife! :lol:

[Thinkingmandavid]

I have only owned two pda's so far in my life. I see a lot I would like to buy, but when it comes time to buy them it is hard for me because I find it hard to justify the funds right now. When I can afford the funds more comfortably then I will do so. I have been looking at a 2215 and a 1940.
I can get a 1940 for 200, still thinking about it.

[Barak]

As someone who provides counseling for children and adults with depression and anxiety, medications AND counseling is the best approach.

I actually treated a man who had OCD and his ritual included cleaning the screen of his PDA at least 25 times a day. He eventually would ruin the PDA and have to buy another one - leading to more depression because of the cost factor.

That's the problem with Anxiety Disorders such as OCD, as most people will also have depression with it because disorders such as OCD really inhibit normal functioning. People's lives get turned upside down and inside out.

Just my .02

[bazza]

Interesting! I guess if someone made the perfect PDA then we would only buy it once!

So do you wait for ever and do nothing or do you take the trip and spend money? I think it relates more to being frustrated by the chasm between what we want and what technology can deliver!!

For me I'll take every little step forwards as long as my bank account will allow me!!

Depressed - only because technology won't deliver the perfect PDA - imagine:

Active Sync works
There is no lag time opening applications
It is not out of date when you buy it
Connectivity is universal
Memory is infinite
Multiple applications can be running at the same time
Software actually works the first time and does what you want :bad-words:

- we can still dream and in the meantime spend lots of money and become depressed - not spending money because we are depressed!!!

" Always proceed along tunnels behind or alongside the Dalek. This will reduce your chances of accidental extermination considerably" - Dalek survival guide.

[yodacai]

Originally Posted by casioman

As someone who provides counseling for children and adults with depression and anxiety, medications AND counseling is the best approach.

I actually treated a man who had OCD and his ritual included cleaning the screen of his PDA at least 25 times a day. He eventually would ruin the PDA and have to buy another one - leading to more depression because of the cost factor.

That's the problem with Anxiety Disorders such as OCD, as most people will also have depression with it because disorders such as OCD really inhibit normal functioning. People's lives get turned upside down and inside out.

Just my .02

It is interesting how those suffering from impulsive and/or anxiety disorders both respond to SSRIs as they are two different "beasts" on the opposite ends of the spectrum (one does a behavior for the "high" they get afterwards and the other does the behavior to reduce anxiety). More and more research is suggesting that many mental disorders may be organic in nature. Kind of fuels that age old argument of "nature vs. nurture."

[lurch]

Yet another mis-diagnosis of the symptoms. And an incorrect solution at that!!

"I have a problem with buying too many PDAs compulsively!"

"Well, let's just prescribe some meds and train you not to do that!"

Totally missing the real problem and trying to solve it by modifying external behavior!!! Get to the heart, that's the root of it!

Analogy
Problem: my lawn is brown in patches
External Solution: let's spray paint it green
Real solution: let's kill the grubs under the grass making it turn brown, then in time it will turn green again

Sheesh!

Things just keep getting crazier and crazier, especially when things like bigorexia are classified as "diseases".