‘I couldn’t stop spending – even when I lost everything’
Claire Taylor, 52, lives C in Hertford with her two children, and has been compulsive buying for over 30 years. She says, “From the moment I started getting pocket money at the age of ten, I would spend it all on sweets and make-up.
“As I got older, my spending increased. In my 20s, after I got married, it spiralled out of control. It was easy to kid myself that I didn’t have a problem as my husband, who was an entrepreneur, was wealthy, so the usual risks of debt weren’t there, but my spending was an issue. I’d buy the same top in different colours, designer shoes, several bottles of perfume or 20 lipsticks at a time. I didn’t even wear or use them, and I certainly didn’t need them, but I got a huge buzz out of buying them.
“I split with my husband in 2009, after we grew apart. I borrowed money against my assets to keep up with my spending habits but, by 2012, I was in serious financial trouble after an investment went wrong. I was left owing £250,000 and declared bankrupt.
THERAPY
“I had to sell my house and all my assets and I got a job as a manager at a fitness boot camp. It didn’t pay well, but I continued to spend. After bankruptcy, I wasn’t allowed credit, but any spare money still went on cheap clothes from Primark. If I couldn’t spend, I’d feel anxious and worried – I craved shopping.
“Then, last year, I sought help from an addiction specialist, after being introduced to him by a friend who was worried about me. He helped me to stop spending, with a mixture of counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy [which helps patients understand their thoughts and feelings]. I recognised that part of my problem started because I’d been overweight when I was younger and wanted to distract from my size with beautiful accessories.
UNDER THE RADAR
I now run addiction retreats and, recently, we had a 43-yearold mum-of-two attend. She admitted to having nearly £20,000 of debt on credit and store cards, from her shopping habit. It had started out as buying herself a “treat” when her daughters were young, when she felt exhausted and out of shape. But then she became obsessed with buying “a little something” to cheer herself up.
“It’s surprisingly common, but because you don’t see the physical effects, in the same way as you would with drugs and alcohol, it can slip under the radar. It’s vital that people get help and it really does need to be classed as a mental health problem. Now, I only buy necessities – and I feel free.”