Are you a shopaholic?

Many of us spend more than we should on clothing but 6% of the population suffers from Omniomania, aka shopping addiction. Sure, being a shopoholic may not sound like a serious condition but for those who truly cannot control their buying habits, life is no picnic. According to its clinical definition, shopping addiction is often triggered by a traumatic event and occurs when a person attempts to fill a void. To an addict, what they buy is the only thing they feel they can control, and when they purchase something they feel a major sense of accomplishment. We have all experienced a shopping high after buying something special, but the intensity and lifestyle of a true shopping addict is both frightening and depressing. A new article in Newsweek chronicles several experiences with shopping addiction and her struggle to overcome it. Hearing her story and learning about the warning signs has made us want to revamp our spending habits and become more conscious of our purchases.

Claudia F., one woman the piece focuses on, went on spending sprees after the loss of her grandmother. She had graduated college and was trying to figure out her role in the world, but what began as a casual pastime soon became a major problem. "After about six or eight months, I had racked up $30,000 in credit card debt," Claudia told Newsweek. "I would hide things in my husband's car trunk, or put them in a closet downstairs. Months would pass by, and I realized I hadn't even looked at the stuff." After being rejected for a home loan, Claudia came face to face with her addiction and her husband threatened her with divorce. After two years of struggling with her problem, she is now back on her feet and spends conservatively. "It took me realizing that I am enough, or do have enough to finally stop."

Dr. Terry Shulman, the founder and director of The Shulman Center for Compulsive Theft and Spending says it is crucial to unearth the root of the problem. "With shopping addiction, sex addiction, and eating addiction, the goal is never complete abstinence, but it's to figure out what's driving compulsive eating disorder, sexual disorder and shopping addiction." Sometimes it fueled by general depression or a major life trigger like an unhappy marriage, having unwanted children, or losing your job. But a desperate need to keep up appearances can also be to blame. Writer Avis Cardella, whose memoir, "Spent" covers her 15-year-shopping addiction says her "desire to be perfect and be well-dressed" while working in the fashion industry in New York City became overwhelming. She "became obsessed with appearances" and often purchased things she knew she didn't need and felt an immense sense of guilt. After spending her last $19 on red couduroy pants from Zara, ""I asked myself, 'how can a woman with a closet so full feel so empty inside?'" She advises people to ask themselves, "Are you buying emotions... or a way out of depression, sadness or fear?"

Regular old boredom can be the culprit of overspending too. And with the advent of online shopping you don't even have to leave your house to rack up a massive bill. Carrie Coghill, director of consumer education for FreeScore.com, says most shopaholics have nothing going on in their lives, and that spending money should not be a hobby. And just because you don't have the money now, doesn't mean you can't spend it. Shulman says folks barely making ends meet are the ones who are more apt to overshop since the desire for more is strong. And going back to Cardella's problems with peer pressure and fitting in, youngsters are also victims to shopping addiction, particularly since they aren't well versed in budgeting their money and are prime targets for marketing ploys.

So beware the signs, people! Shopaholics are not adorable girls smashing credit cards out of an ice brick in a romantic comedy. They're people struggling to keep their finances, their relationships, and their lives intact. With New Year's resolutions just weeks away, there's no better time to evaluate your finances, and make sure you're spending more out of necessity than emotion. [Newsweek]