How does mental health impact our shopping habits?

With nowhere to go and no one to see, you’d think our shopping habits would have plummeted in lockdown, but the receipts tell a very different story with e-commerce sales increasing by 74% in 2020.

So, why are we spending so much money on clothes when 2.2 million people risk unemployment this year?

“People are seeking two things: a sense of control and a sense of normalcy,” says Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, a financial therapist at Mind Money Balance. “Going shopping is something very concrete that we have control over - go to the store, pick something out, purchase it. It also mimics pre-pandemic.”

Mental health issues have seen a surge since the pandemic hit due to stress and loneliness. Splurging on a new handbag might not have been the best thing for our bank accounts, but it gives us a dopamine release, Lindsay explains. This reaction occurs when we do something fun and exciting.

When we online shop, we get that hit three times: when we browse, purchase and receive the product. We’ve been on our phones 34% more during the lockdown, meaning we’ve been exposed to even more adverts from fashion brands.

Lindsay says: “Shopping through social media is easy on most social media platforms. It's integrated into the user experience, making it feel like it's part of using the app.”

Shopping may give us that temporary feel-good hit, but it's not a long-term solution for our mental health. If you're struggling, there is help available to support you.