Houston: We have a problem...

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Salam sisters and brothers,

How many of us have shopping resisting problem, raise their hands~ Even on a slightest on making an excuse of buying an extra purple scarf, just because...because i need it? Or to the degree that you didn't find it harmless to spend untill you came home with cold sweats thinking , 'why did i buy it?' A good sister of mine posted this on our HRC Facebook group page. I think its a good read for all of us, women. Here's a snippet of the article;

pic:http://www.lifeinbarcelona.com/blog/wp-content/photos/shopping.jpg

58 Warning Signs and Signals of Shopping Addiction

The following questions can reveal whether or not you share traits with others who suffer from compulsive buying disorder. As you read through the list, keep track of how many definite "yeses" you have. If you say yes to 15 or more questions, consider yourself at risk for a spending addiction and seek help!

Note: This list of warning signs can't and should not replace the diagnosis of a trained psychologist.

1. You have been diagnosed with a major mood, anxiety, impulse and/or eating disorder.
2. One or some of your first-degree relatives have major mood disorders.
3. You often physically hide purchases.
4. You frequently return items.
5. You have frequent family arguments about how much you spend and what you buy.
6. Your credit cards are maxed out.
7. You frequently have a low self-esteem.
8. You feel a jolt of self-esteem and happiness when interacting with store clerks.
9. You shop or spend money as a response to feeling angry, depressed or lonely.
10. You feel lost - to the point of going into withdrawal - without your credit cards.
11. You lie about purchasing items.
12. You get distracted from life and consumed with thoughts of money.
13. You have positive, euphoric feelings associated with buying.
14. You spend a lot of time juggling your bills and credit to accommodate your spending.
15. You steal in order to continue spending.
16. You suffered severe emotional deprivation in childhood.
17. You have difficulty tolerating feelings of pain, loneliness, boredom, depression, fear and anger
18. You need to fill an inner void.
19. You have difficulty sleeping because of the pressure of your debts.
20. You consider drinking or using drugs in response to the pressure of your debts.
21. You always or frequently buy items on credit, rather than with cash.
22. You feel guilty, ashamed, embarrassed or anguished over a spending spree.
23. You lie about the cost of items.
24. You have adopted a strict debt repayment regimen, only to break it under pressure.
25. You feel excited - and guilty - while buying things you know you should not buy.
26. You buy the things you want, no matter if you have the money for them or not.
27. You have trouble saving money - even if there's money left over you spend it rather than save it.
28. You spend more than a third of your income, not including rent or mortgage payments, on your shopping bills.
29. You keep buying more of your favorite things even if you don't have a specific, immediate need for them.
30. You feel intensely deprived, angry or upset if you have to put off buying something you really want.
31. You think others would be "horrified" by your spending habits.
32. You feel restless irritability and even anger if you don't go shopping.
33. You have another clinically diagnosed addiction.
34. Your debts make your home life unhappy.
35. Your debts frequently distract you from your daily work.
36. You sometimes feel that something inside of you, beyond your control, pushes you to shop.
37. You shop so you can avoid doing something else.
38. Your purchases have resulted in legal problems.
39. Your debts affect your reputation.
40. Your debts cause you to think less of yourself.
41. You have lied or given false information in order to obtain credit.
42. You have made unrealistic, impossible promises to your creditors.
43. You obsess about your employer or family learning the full extent of your total indebtedness.
44. You feel inordinate relief at the prospect of borrowing money.
45. You tell yourself you will get a "big break" and get out of debt overnight.
46. You feel dangerous and reckless when shopping, and that shopping is forbidden.
47. You pick up the tab when you're out with friends or family - whether or not you can afford it.
48. You buy things with a credit card that you would not spend cash on.
49. You go shopping no matter how much debt you have or how strongly you resolve not to spend more.
50. You often buy things that you never wear or use.
51. You often overspend on gifts for others to show them how successful you are or what great taste you have.
52. You often buy things because you think they will make you more like your ideal image.
53. You skip, miss or cancel social engagements to go shopping.
54. You don't open your mail, email or answer the phone so you won't have to face the consequences of your buying.
55. You don't know - or don't WANT to know - how much you shop.
56. You think others would say you're a shopaholic.
57. You consider yourself an impulse purchaser.
58. You buy things you did not plan on buying.

If you answer "yes" to 15 or more of the questions above, there's a strong likelihood that you have addictive shopping tendencies. We recommend that you seek professional help.

"Dear sisters, while shopping makes us "feel good" and most of the time "look good", modesty is always the key. Modest is all about behaviour and that includes being modest in your expenditures, your shopping nafsu. This addiction is just as destructive as gambling addiction."

Sister E.O'H. Well said, JazzakAllah Khairan

Read the whole article including how to recover here: http://www.cesidebtsolutions.org/CESI/blog/219/