Unhealthy habits are a common thing among people my age. Depending on the person, it could range from eating too many French fries, smoking cigarettes, not working out on a regular basis to whatever else people feel guilty about.

I am proud to confess that I am guilty of one of the most unhealthy of unhealthy habits – compulsive shopping. I don’t know what it is, but nothing makes me feel better than buying new clothes, shoes, accessories and jewelry.
I blame my compulsive shopping on the start of college. My high school had a dress code policy, which limited the colors we could wear.
No jeans, name brands or bright colors were permitted. Once I started attending Gannon four years ago and no longer had a dress code, I went nuts with shopping, and it hasn’t stopped since.
A lot of shopaholics say they compulsively spend money on clothes, shoes and accessories because it gives them the opportunity to “express themselves.”  That’s not the case at all for me.
I just love the feeling of having new things, especially clothes.
I have a strange obsession with the smell of new clothes, especially brand new denim jeans; I never want to wash the smell out.
Also, I’ve convinced myself that the more clean/new clothes I have, the less laundry I’ll have to do.
As much as I may love compulsive shopping, I’m well aware of how bad of a habit it is.
I currently have no more hangers to hang up clothes I just bought.
I’m also fresh out of space in my dresser drawer, and both my closets and pullout drawers under the bed are full.
I guess an option for me is to give away the clothes that I no longer wear or never should’ve bought in the first place. That way, I’ll be turning a bad habit into a good deed.
Or, I can stay on the road I’m on and continue to buy, buy, buy without thinking of the consequences, not realizing that no matter what I wear, I’m still the same person on the inside.
The truth of the matter is that I honestly have no intention of changing my shopaholic ways. I know it’s the right thing for me to do, but that certainly doesn’t make it any easier; not one bit.
Buying new things makes me feel good, as sad as that is.
It gives me a sense of empowerment and pure joy, and few other things in the world give me that feeling.
Even though I certainly don’t want to, it’s more than past the time for me to give my bank account a rest.
I’m in the process of looking into healthier ways to enjoy my time without destroying my bank account and my dignity.
At the end of the day, clothes are clothes, nothing more, nothing less. The sooner I fully come to grips with that, the happier and healthier I’ll be.

JANAE BUTLER
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