9 Ways to Tell if You’re a Compulsive Spender

4) Blaming Others and Rationalizing Your Spending

A hallmark sign of addiction is using what is called “thinking errors” to justify the addictive behavior. This is just as applicable for compulsive spending as for other addictions. One of the primary “errors” is blaming other people for your behavior. For instance, a shopping addict may try to push fault onto a friend or family member. They may claim that they are shopping because of something one of those people did or said. Additionally, compulsive shoppers may rationalize their behavior. Usually, the actions we take are the result of a particular cause. Rationalizing involves concocting a false explanation for an undesirable action that paints the addict in a less negative light. These mental gymnastics are problematic because they can prevent the spender from realizing how bad the issue really is.