Retail Therapy

When I think back and try to pinpoint exactly when I started using shopping as a replacement for therapy, one memory seems to stand out.  I was 15 years old and the current “love of my life” had just broken my heart. I found out he had started sucking face with another girl in our class and I was DEVASTATED – as any 15 year old girl would be.

My mom was traveling with friends at the time, so my dad was trying to deal with an overly dramatic teenager by himself. When he asked me if I wanted to go shopping, I instantly perked up. He took me to the mall and we walked around for some time before stumbling into a Sunglass Hut.

Twenty minutes later I walked out of that little store with my first designer purchase and big, fat smile on my face. What I didn’t realize at the time, or for the next 13 years following that event, was that no amount of material goods would be able to truly mend a broken heart, soul, or mind.

For the last 3.5 months, I have had to really explore what kind of therapy actually works for me, because I’m here to tell you, retail therapy is not a real thing. Sure you might get off on a shopper’s high for a short amount of time, but once that wears off, you’re not any closer to being healed. No amount of shopping will actually bring you true happiness or relieve you of whatever hurt you’re currently experiencing.

If you’re reading this and you’re still a believer in the myth that is retail therapy, I beg you to explore healthier options.

I’ve replaced the shopping with creative projects, gym time, long walks with Lou, midday naps (again with Lou), and long dinners/lunches with friends I can be completely transparent with. I’ve even considered giving regular therapy another try – but that’s a post for another day.

Thank you for reading friends.