Psychiatria pre prax 1/2021

Pathological buying

Pathological buying (PB) is characterized by a pathological obsession with shopping with frequent shopping episodes or an unbearable urge to shop that an individual is unable to resist. It is associated with serious psychological, social, work and financial problems. It affects about 5% of the population and its prevalence is on the rise, especially among younger individuals. People with PB often suffer from psychiatric comorbidity. Our understanding of the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of this disorder is still severely limited. This is a phenomenon that does not yet have its place in classifications due to the lack of clear evidence to establish diagnostic criteria and the necessary data to identify this behavior as a mental disorder. There are no standard treatments, but previous studies have suggested some psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic options.

Keywords: pathological buying, people with pathological buying, classification, diagnostics, treatment