9 Ways to Tell if You’re a Compulsive Spender

7) Getting a “High” from Shopping

If you are a shopaholic, you may be familiar with getting a rush of excitement upon making a purchase. This feeling can be brought on by the very act of buying something. Therefore, if you are trying to escape negative feelings, you may constantly buy things to experience this “high.” That is why compulsive spenders may end up with so many things they don’t need. It is not the owning of things that triggers this feeling, but the act of purchasing itself. There is also biochemical evidence supporting this. According to the Huffington Post, some experts say that shopping and buying releases dopamine. This neurotransmitter chemical stimulates pleasure centers in the brain, which makes the person feel good. As with drugs that have this effect, the feeling can become addictive, driving someone to seek it out again.