‘Social media fuels shopping addiction’

Addiction specialist Chris Hill says, “Compulsive spending is just as much an addiction as drugs or alcohol. In some people, shopping triggers the brain to release dopamine, a substance that creates pleasure. They then crave that feeling and want to continue shopping, whether they can afford it or not. I’ve seen the number of cases double in the past year. That is in part fuelled by social media – people see posts of others with the latest designer outfit and think if they had that, their life would be ‘perfect.’ It should be taken seriously as a mental health problem, especially as it can lead to severe anxiety, relationship breakdowns and bankruptcy.”