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Born To Spend: Overcoming Compulsive Spending
Gloria Arenson, recognized expert in this field, explores the psychology of overspending and debting. She shows that the typical shopaholic abuses money the same way that alcoholics abuse alcohol and overeaters abuse food. Born To Spend provides a complete self-help program to stop spending sprees. Learn the Stop-Look-Listen plan to control compulsions to overspend. Get on the Fast Track and use Meridian Therapy (EFT) to eliminate the urge to splurge in minutes. Experience Mall Therapy. Discover your spending style: Rebel, Status Seeker, Indulger, Needy-Greedy Child, Dummy, Daredevil, Second Hand Rose, Cinderella, or Undeserving Poor.
- GenresPsychology
187 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1991
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December 29, 2023
One thing about me - when I got sober I fully embraced shopping as a new addiction to help solve my negative feelings or boredom. I've always struggled with overspending in varying degrees, shopping for new clothes; going on thrift binges for things I might wear once and never again; buying housewares and decorations that aren't really my style but I
need
something to fill that space on the wall/in my mind. When I did not have the option for other addictive substances, shopping was a best friend. Thankfully, I have it mostly under control now & when I do overspend, it is not severely detrimental to my financial stability.
Although I recognized this as a problem, I never bothered to read up on it to understand why exactly I turned to it so often. Born To Spend is the first book I've read that truly breaks down the different kinds of compulsive spenders and why they may behave this way. I found it really eye opening and helpful!
However, all of the "fixes" in the book just did not resonate with me. Arenson mentions the tap therapy that I'm sure was all the rage in 1991, and obviously is still used today in therapeutic modalities like EMDR, but that is just not my jam. I know, I know, don't knock it till you try it - but I don't think tapping the inside of my wrist is going to prevent me from wanting to buy the dress in front of me. Unfortunately, the tap therapy was like the only solution to every problem presented in the book, so she lost my interest after that.
All in all, this was a very enlightening book on the why behind compulsive spending and how different people approach it as a result of their past or present environment and mental health issues. I will definitely be reading up on more books focusing on consumerism and compulsive spending.
Although I recognized this as a problem, I never bothered to read up on it to understand why exactly I turned to it so often. Born To Spend is the first book I've read that truly breaks down the different kinds of compulsive spenders and why they may behave this way. I found it really eye opening and helpful!
However, all of the "fixes" in the book just did not resonate with me. Arenson mentions the tap therapy that I'm sure was all the rage in 1991, and obviously is still used today in therapeutic modalities like EMDR, but that is just not my jam. I know, I know, don't knock it till you try it - but I don't think tapping the inside of my wrist is going to prevent me from wanting to buy the dress in front of me. Unfortunately, the tap therapy was like the only solution to every problem presented in the book, so she lost my interest after that.
All in all, this was a very enlightening book on the why behind compulsive spending and how different people approach it as a result of their past or present environment and mental health issues. I will definitely be reading up on more books focusing on consumerism and compulsive spending.
Displaying 1 of 1 review