Last month I confessed to an addictive behavior: recreational shopping. I actually wasn’t sure if I could classify it as a full-fledged addiction. Then David commented, “I’m glad Vered got out of her ritual of checking the same website for new arrivals daily, but make no mistake, addiction was the perfect word to describe that behavior.” His comment got me thinking that it’s probably time to admit that I was indeed addicted to shopping – and to share how I was able to overcome my addiction.

My “harmless” daily virtual shopping trip had all the characteristics of an addiction. I knew I shouldn’t log on to that site, I struggled with it every single morning, but I did it anyway. And to add insult to injury, I then lied about it – I didn’t exactly share my purchases with my husband!

So how did I start on that path? First of all, I love shopping. Not everyone enjoys shopping, but those of us who do will know what I mean – browsing through merchandise, looking at beautiful items and picking a few that will become yours, bringing them home (or having them shipped), tearing up the wrappers and finding a new place for them. Shopping can be an extremely pleasant experience, especially since I believe humans are hardwired to love shiny new things and feel a sense of security when we surround ourselves with objects.

But shopping can quickly become an addiction, for the same reason that any other addictive behavior becomes an addiction. It is soothing and pleasant and takes your mind off things. The downside, though, is that the pleasure is short-lived and when it tapers off, you want to experience the…

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