Does shopping make you happy?

It is true that it may seem like a frivolous matter, but the truth is that if shopping has an impact on our emotional state, perhaps the matter is more interesting than it seems and, delving into it, we can use it to our advantage. Shop well and you'll feel happier for longer, just as shopping when you shouldn't may not make you feel as good as you hoped.

How long does the happiness of shopping last?

After an experiment carried out at the University of British Columbia, by the Department of Psychology and Personality Sciences, the experts reached some conclusions. Its objective was to know how the fact of buying influences our happiness, and if it does so in the short, medium or long term.

The participants recorded how they felt after having made a purchase, and how they felt throughout the same day up to five times; and, finally, how they felt after a month in relation to that purchase.

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But since not all purchases are the same, they were divided into two different categories: on the one hand, there were material purchases, which included clothing, gadgets or perfumes; and on the other purchases that could be considered an experience, such as a spa session or a concert. This division offered some of the most interesting results.

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¿Ir de compras te hace feliz?

For most of the participants, buying an experience like the spa caused very intense happiness, but only in the short term. That is, happiness lasted as long as the experience. On the other hand, when they made a material purchase, the feeling of happiness (although not as intense) even lasted more than a month. According to the researchers, this happens because acquiring an object satisfies the anticipated desire to have it, and then having it allows us to relive that feeling of happiness.

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Buying with head is essential

Although we cannot deny the pleasure of making a purchase, it is true that we must exercise some caution and be alert to signs that may indicate that the way we buy has a harmful effect on us. The theory is as simple as that you have to avoid buying just to buy, but sometimes the practice is not so simple. When we try to fill an emotional gap through shopping, we may feel a desire to spend at all costs, even if we don't find anything we like. Then it is possible that the happiness we obtain is priceless and fleeting, in addition to having made us acquire something that we do not need, not to mention the economic expense.

It is important to distinguish when a purchase is out of necessity and when it is a whim; Always try to think about what you need what you are going to buy for and try to plan before going to stores, whether in physical establishments or online purchases. This will make it easier to avoid compulsive purchases, which are more likely to make you feel guilty than happy.

To achieve this, one of the best tips is not to buy when you are down, and allow the time to buy so that you enjoy doing it and have fun with it.

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