Retail Therapy: Feeling Good at a Price
We are a society of consumers the US economy is built on consumption and consumers are always on the hunt for something to make us feel better or make our lives easier. No matter how much crap we have at home the urge to shop is a real addiction, and they don’t have a patch to help you stop, so be careful not to overdo it. I recently was at a TJ Maxx and I watched this group of women [8 to be exact] look through rack after rack of tops, jeans, skirts and sweat pants and only one women picked something up to buy. All 8 had one thing in common they were there alone and they had their game faces on. Those women made me wonder what the hell they were doing if they weren’t buying anything. Curiosity killed the cat and talking to women while they shop is not where it’s at…… After speaking to 4 of them [I like to torture myself] it was clear they were there for retail therapy!
Wikipedia defines “Retail therapy as shopping with the primary purpose of improving the buyer's mood or disposition. Often seen in people during periods of depression or stress, it is normally a short-lived habit. Items purchased during periods of retail therapy are sometimes referred to as "comfort buys" (compare comfort food).” This is an act that is primarily carried out by women from 10 to 100. Studies have shown that men rarely seek retail therapy in fact men generally sighted shopping as deepening their depression. I must admit that the future Mrs. Emery has gone off to TJ Maxx or Home Goods for hours on end and come home with very little or nothing. Frankly if that makes her feel better then why not she is not shopping for a boat or car she is out getting jeans and a nice top! Most good therapist charge $200 per hour so spending a few hours at Home Goods is certainly a lot cheaper.
I came across an article in Time Magazine recently that broke down retail therapy into 5 basic components. I have listed the link and it is worth the read for anybody that dips their toe in the retail therapy pond http://business.time.com/2013/04/16/is-retail-therapy-for-real-5-ways-shopping-is-actually-good-for-you/. According to the article in Time less than 40% of men participate in retail therapy so that got me thinking what is the best course of action for a man to deal with his stress triggers? Men generally revert to drinking, gambling, porn and food to feel better in times of stress. This only becomes a problem for men when we do all of the above at the same time. I just pictured a guy drinking shots at a blackjack table while watching porn on his phone and eating a cheese burger. I know what you are thinking what about going to the gym, golfing, tennis, running or biking? Those might work but the truth is drinking, gambling, porn and food are much more fun for men, just saying ladies.
My Father used to tell Bob and me when we were kids that too much of anything is not good for you, I hope for the future of the economy Dad didn’t mean retail therapy. Even though retail therapy is not for me as long as you are not hiding it from your partner it is a harmless practice and might help you through a tough time. Now that spring is here go out and get yourself something new and when you get home donate something old to help someone else feel good!