Compulsive buying is a serious, often secretive affliction, with profound emotional, social, occupational, and financial consequences. As many as a quarter of us have problems with buying, and studies suggest that between one and six percent of the population are full-fledged compulsive buyers. I Shop, Therefore I Am: Compulsive Buying and the Search for Self brings together, for the first time, the most important thinking about this disorder. As more and more therapists encounter compulsive buying (whether as a presenting problem or revealed in the course of ongoing therapy), the need for an in-depth clinical understanding of the disorder has grown. Dr. Benson has responded admirably to that need with a practical, comprehensive, and wonderfully readable work. While the book focuses a wide-angled lens on the many aspects of compulsive buying, it emphasizes understanding the disorder as a desperate search for self in people whose identity is not securely established. It defines the syndrome of compulsive consumption, examines the range and variations within it, discusses assessment and associated disorders, and delineates successful treatment modalities. Offering insights from a broad spectrum of therapies psychopharmacology, psychodynamic therapy, cognitive-behavioral treatment, couples and group therapy, self-help, and financial counseling this book is an indispensable toolbox for the increasing number of therapists who see patients with shopping, buying, or debting problems. A Jason Aronson Book"

According to a recent study, it is estimated that more than 10 million Americans are unable to stop themselves from frequent shopping binges that lead to debt, damaged relationships, and depression. In this book, April Lane Benson draws on decades of clinical experience and on recent research to offer information, insights, and practical strategies for overcoming compulsive buying. The cardinal signs of compulsive buying are: frequent purchases of unneeded or unaffordable items; intrusive or uncontrollable impulses to buy; and, emotional let-down or feelings of guilt after shopping. In plain and encouraging language, Dr. Benson helps readers to identify their 'overshopping sequence' - the pattern of triggers, actions, and aftershocks (or negative consequences) that plague compulsive buyers.With this awareness of the dynamics of their shopping problem, readers gain the ability to address the root causes. Dr. Benson demonstrates how unaddressed emotional pain can drive us to over shop, as can limited and unrealistic concepts about what will make us truly happy in life. To promote recovery, she offers readers an integrated approach that enlists the mind, the heart, and even the body to develop a mindful awareness around shopping and take back control over buying and spending. It includes patient stories, practical strategies, exercises, and information on financial planning.