Compulsive buying likely to strike in college years

If studying for midterms makes you want to go out and splurge on expensive clothing or gadgets, you may be more than simply a procrastinator.

A recent study suggests that 5 percent of Americans are compulsive buyers, meaning they frequently purchase items they do not need or want.

The study, conducted by Stanford emeritus professor of psychiatry Lorrin Koran, shows that the problem often begins with college-age students.

Many compulsive buyers said they began showing signs of the addiction when they first received credit cards, he said.

"It tends to start early," Koran said. "The absence of money-management skills might be a risk factor."

Coleen Moore, of the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, said people fall victim to compulsive buying because of the "immediate gratification" it provides.

She added that college students may turn to excessive shopping as a form of instant stress relief.

The problem may also stem from the fact that young adults are not taught money management before they leave home, said Frank Tulak, an addiction specialist at the non-profit addiction and rehabilitation group Caron.

Director of Penn's Counseling and Psychological Services Ilene Rosenstein said CAPS treats students for compulsive buying and develops a course of action based on what is causing the students' behavior.

"There are tons of reasons why people compulsively shop," she said, citing depression or drug issues as possible causes.

Rosenstein said she suggests students who think they may be affected come in for assessment.

Tulak said the addiction, which has not been taken seriously in the past, is now viewed as a harmful condition.

"We are recognizing it as a bona fide psychiatric problem," he said.

The study also found that compulsive buying occurs at nearly equal rates among men and women, whereas it was previously considered to be more common in women.

"That is what we found when we randomly surveyed people across the U.S.," Tulak said, adding that women have been thought to skew results because they are more likely to volunteer for compulsive-buying studies.

Moore said the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery sees mostly women for compulsive buying because it is "more of a hidden thing with men."

Koran and his team also found that compulsive buying is more common among the lower-income demographic, which he said is difficult to explain.

Many people suffering from compulsive buying do not seek help, Koran said, adding that both psychotherapy and medication are available to remedy the addiction.

Koran's study was published in the October issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.