Columnist Len Robbins
Women, more often than men, are labeled by society, mostly by men, as
compulsive shoppers.
Stanford University (whose mascot is a tree) says phooey. Men are just as compulsive and spend-hearty as their female counterparts, says a study by the university recently published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
According to the study, researchers polled over 2,500 adults via telephone and questioned respondents on their spending habits. What they found was that about six percent of women and men qualified as “compulsive buyers.”
“Compulsive buying leads to serious psychological, financial, and family problems, including depression, overwhelming debt, and the breakup of relationships,” said Dr. Lorrin Koran in a Stanford University (whose mascot is a tree) press release on the topic. “People don’t realize the extent of the damage it does to the sufferer.” Or the payer, which he didn’t mention.
The research found that 1-in-20 people suffer from this “disorder.”
“Sufferers often rack up thousands of dollars in debt and lie to loved ones about their shopping,” said an ABC News report on “compulsive buying disorder (CBD).”
CBD is a new disorder that doctors are just now diagnosing. Doctors used to call people who “rack up thousands of dollars in debt and lie to loved ones about their shopping” by the scientific term, “stupid.”
My take on this new “disorder”: First of all, it seems like every misbehavior now has a acronymic disorder attached to it. And, oddly enough, they all end with D.
There’s DBD (Disruptive Behavior Disorder), ADHD, formerly ADD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), IED (Intermittent Explosive Disorder), ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), and RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder), among others. Coming soon are BSKD (Bratty, Spoiled Kid Disorder), ALD (Adult Loser Disorder), PWDSWD (Politician Who’s Done Something Wrong Disorder), IDKSW14D (I Didn’t Know She Was 14 Disorder), and ISTSBIDSTDD (I Shot The Sheriff, but I Didn’t Shoot The Deputy Disorder).
Basically, any misbehavior you can think of, they’re going to come up with a disorder to explain it, and some expensive pills to heal it.
I’m also wary of the research itself, which was conducted by Stanford University (whose mascot is a tree).
For instance, what exactly did men say they bought compulsively? It makes a big difference.
See, there’s a marked contrast on going on a thousand-dollar shopping binge and buying a bunch of dresses, blouses, shoes, curtains, ceramic vases, etc., versus purchasing one hunting club membership. Or buying one set of really nice golf clubs. Or a boat. Or a motorcycle. You may be spending thousands of dollars, but they aren’t really “shopping binges.” They’re “investments.”
Until Stanford University (whose mascot is a tree, mind you) can show me exactly what women and men bought on these “compulsive buying disorder” excursions — receipts and such — I remain unconvinced.
To quote Stanford University (whose mascot is... well, you know): Phooey!
• Len Robbins is the editor/publisher of The Clinch County News.
