As our parents get older, their spending patterns may become more erratic, producing a lot of stress for family members. It’s challenging enough to talk about money, but attempting to deliberately monitor and regulate a parent’s spending is a whole different story. There are a variety of reasons why an elderly might feel compelled to keep buying. Maybe some elders have had shopping addictions their whole lives and though they now have less spare cash, it doesn’t guarantee they will instantly change their habits. Even retirees who were not previously huge shoppers may increase their spending to alleviate feelings of despair, fatigue, and isolation. Read on to find out how to handle a compulsive spender parent.
Understand the Definition
Compulsive spending, also known as oniomania, is when you spend more than you need. The feeling of insatiable expenditure is a defining feature of compulsive spending.
Even when overspending brings them mental misery, they have minimal cash to spend, or when the items they buy bring them little delight or are left there to gather dust, habitual consumers continue to spend. Like most addictions, it tends to develop worse with time, with spenders needing to keep splurging to attain the same kick they formerly got while transacting.
Encourage a Therapist Visit
Compulsive spending habits can be addressed via a variety of therapies. In treatment, mindfulness strategies can help with self-control, and cognitive-behavioral therapy can help people build self-esteem that is not reliant on things. Couples therapy can help couples impacted by one or both spouses’ excessive spending, and residential treatment facilities can aid more extreme forms of shopping addiction.
Individuals with a serious addiction may gain from financial counseling as a complement to psychotherapy. Seeking financial counseling can help them avoid bankruptcy or manage their finances. Some people may have a mental health problem in addition to their excessive spending. In many circumstances, treating both diseases is more likely to be successful than treating only the shopping addiction episodes.
Help Your Parents Get Social Again
Compulsive shoppers may be attempting to meet their desire for social interaction via purchasing. As a result, experts suggest compulsive spenders expand their hobbies and social networks. Sports and volunteering pursuits are examples of such activities.
Ask around at your local community center to see if there are any clubs in your region that your parents might be eager to join. Regularly attending art, book, or chess club events is a terrific opportunity to meet fresh faces and form valuable connections with individuals who have healthier interests.
You might not know how to address a parent who suffers from compulsive purchasing. However, it’s critical to talk about your concerns. Before approaching them about this difficult subject, you should go through your feelings and see if you can visit a therapist in advance. A professional can enable a better understanding of your feelings and the entire situation. As a last word of advice, if you want to improve your parents’ behavior, don’t use shame as a motivator.
