Handling compulsive behavior

Dear Readers: How are drinking, eating, sex, exercising, you holding up? With the shopping, hoarding) vaccine rollout going relatively — with the hopes it smoothly, our lives will improve your situation, may be but alas, it doesn’t. returning One pandemic behavior to a sense that has surfaced is overindulgence of normalcy in online shopping. this year. Shopping online is super

The easy. A package arrives pandemic on your doorstep in a few might days. have But before you tap that brought to PLACE ORDER icon, ask the surface yourself these questions: many fears

■ Am I going to use it? in our

■ Where will I store it? lives. How

■ Do I need it? do you

■ Can I afford it? cope with

■ Do I have something fear? You can choose to similar? turn to compulsive behavior

■ What are the emotions — repeating a task that I’m feeling when I’m over and over (gambling, making this purchase?

Be kind with yourself if you are battling an addiction to a compulsive behavior. But also realize that you need help, and then get it. Your future self will thank you. — Heloise

Distraction Solution

Dear Heloise: What’s bugging me? What’s keeping me from focusing on my work? Why can’t I concentrate? Easy solution for me: I write it down.

I write it down — “getting it out of my system,” essentially — and go back to it at a later time. Problem solved. Back to work, and I can tackle that issue later. — Helen G. in California