Shopping makes for great therapy

I made the fatal mistake of leaving my beloved GloFish with my friends while on vacation.

They forgot to feed her. She died, and I was a distraught, heartbroken mess.

Sea Pony was a reflection of my negligence as a fish owner, and to fill the void she had left, I needed to mourn by doing something other than watching old home videos of her and me during the two weeks we had shared prior to her passing.

We all grieve differently over the loss of pets, but I reverted to the therapy that had always brought me comfort and relief. I got dressed, grabbed my keys and headed out to the one place I knew would bring me solace — the mall.

Boosting your mood by buying treats — known as retail therapy — has always been my go-to strategy when stressed or in need of a distraction. The benefits of a day at the mall go deeper than aesthetics, providing relaxation time and a healthy mental break to focus on myself.

And according to a 2013 survey by the Huffington Post, one out of three Americans shop to relieve stress, too.

Provided that retail therapy is done in moderation, San Francisco therapist Peggy Wynne told Psychology Today that shopping has clear therapeutic effects.

“In small, manageable doses it can soothe the soul. Shopping isn’t a problem when it’s done in moderation, just like moderate use of alcohol,” Wynne said.

Shopping can be a great way to ease transitions, according to Wynne. It’s  normal to be distraught and go through a rut following a tough breakup. Everything reminds you of your ex — the sweatshirt he lent you, or the watch you opened on your birthday. Buying yourself a new sweatshirt that doesn’t bring back memories or looking toward the future with a new watch can help you move on.

Even when things are going well, looking for new outfits and tools can help you plan for the future. While we shop, we visualize our lives with the product in it. There are entire sections of stores dedicated to one of life’s greatest transitions — having a baby. Having a baby is full of shopping to prepare for the baby’s birth. New parents need strollers, car seats and formula they’ve never needed before. In preparing for such a transition, they also assume control over the future, lessening anxiety.

I walked into my first college research internship haphazardly dressed in my usual quirky garb — and as the youngest intern, I felt juvenile and unprofessional. After revamping my wardrobe with sleek blazers and tailored pants, I felt more confident in a work environment and performed at my best.

Retail therapy can also be a positive way of maintaining mental health, not just part of recovery or preparation. My personal favorite aspect of retail therapy — and shopping in general — is putting my creative skills to work. Fashion is a hobby for many, and some consider it an art. As the French fashion designer Coco Chanel said, “Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

Like any art, fashion can help ease anxiety. For example, I may go to the mall and look at a top I think may match a skirt I have at home. Then, I begin thinking about how the necklace I saw in the store across from this one would be the finishing touch. When envisioning outfits, I don’t remember the worries haunting my life.

Escaping to your local mall or browsing the web on the hunt for great fashion finds can be relaxing in itself, and online shopping is often a more expedient and less taxing effort for many people. Outlets like Healthy Living Magazine even refer to online shopping as a “mini mental vacation,” allowing people to take a short break from a stressful day to browse for sales and items.

Short breaks from strenuous tasks also can help boost performance on those tasks. Although you may not be actively working on the task causing your stress while shopping, your unconscious mind still is working out problems.

One of the most exciting benefits of retail therapy is meeting friends who may share a similar interest. Because of my constant expenditures at what I consider the happiest place on Earth — the Macy’s shoe department —  I’m on a first-name basis with several employees.

I have even made friends while waiting in Black Friday lines, where complimenting another girl’s fur vest turned into exchanging numbers to shop together another time. 

For me, being in the company of others is often one of the most therapeutic measures to take, and malls are usually jam-packed.

Some might view shopping as a frivolous luxury rather than an opportunity to relax, but no treatment is for everyone. Shopping carries zero health hazards, and you can easily do it in public, which is more than other stress treatments like loud screaming can say.

When done in moderation, retail therapy won’t only revamp your wardrobe, but it can also ease the stress of a hellish week or the loss of a dear fish. So if yoga hasn’t brought you nirvana, abandon your mat, track down the best sale at your local mall and shop till you drop.

Marlo Safi primarily writes about public policy and politics for The Pitt News.

Write to her at mes26@pitt.edu