“Pathological spending” refers to an uncontrollable pattern of purchasing products of varying value and utility, with a negative impact proportional to the individual’s financial resources, as well as a significant psychological involvement and sense of constraint in terms of anticipation, frustration, and the subjective experience of loss of control.
Pathological buyers may feel compelled to purchase something simply for the sake of making a purchase, subsequently accumulating or giving away the products they have bought but do not actually use.
The products may be intended for immediate consumption or, conversely, may be bulky, partly because the widespread availability of rapid courier services and digital ordering has made the phenomenon easier to pursue. A more recent variant involves the use of returns: similarly to an individual with bulimia nervosa who vomits after a binge, the person returns the products immediately after they arrive, once the acquisition itself has been completed.
As in other forms of addiction, there is a tendency toward escalation: spending may become something that “has to” occur every day, with distress arising when no purchase is made. There is also an increased susceptibility to purchasing in response to even minimal or implausible advertising cues, with almost any attractively presented or newly designed product becoming a potential target. Finally, there is often a discrepancy between the intention to save money and the impulse to seek gratification through purchasing.
Treatment may include several pharmacological options, although data from large samples are not currently available.