Body & Mind

Science says: women who buy something new every week are happier

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A medium-long shot of Mindy Chen (played by Ashley Park) from the TV series Emily in Paris. She stands in a luxury clothing boutique or fitting room, laughing while holding a black-and-white geometric patterned jacket or dress over her arms. She wears a purple, tailored blazer with a low V-neck and a subtle gold necklace. Her long, brown hair falls in waves over her shoulders. In the background, there is a rack of brightly colored, fashionable clothing items, including fur and sequins. To the left in the background stands a mannequin with a striking, deep red evening gown with dramatic ruffles on the sleeves. The lighting is warm and soft.

You probably know it well: those rotten days when everything goes wrong. Your boss ridicules you, that one annoying colleague makes a stupid joke that actually hurt you a bit, and then the train is also an hour late. Or you have to refuel again. As soon as you get home, you want just one thing: to compensate for that misery. You need some dopamine. What are you going to do? Shopping. Just scrolling online, putting some nice items in your shopping cart and there you go: down goes your thumb. Suddenly you've spent eighty euros on a pair of boots and a coat that you don't really need at all. Okay, okay, not materially speaking. But emotionally? Absolutely. And that feeling isn't crazy at all, because retail therapy? It really works.

Dopamine Boost

No, it's not girl math. By buying all sorts of things, your brain produces happiness hormones: the well-known dopamine and serotonin. Those substances that make you happy when you hug a friend or eat a delicious meal. And you don't just get on that pink cloud when you hit ‘checkout’. The fun starts much earlier. As soon as you unlock your phone and open the Zalando app, your brain goes into anticipation mode. You can go buy something fun. While you scroll, you think of everything you want: the new coat you've been hesitating about for a month, or those cotton T-shirts that are actually quite handy. It's a kind of addiction. You want everything, and that prospect – that little bit of excitement and all those expectations – already provides a small dopamine hit.

And you're not done yet. The moment supreme is yet to come: the purchase. “Order placed,” it says in big letters. Ka-ching. That shot of serotonin feels like a high five from your brain. And when the package arrives a few days later? Bam, round two. Unpacking, trying on, posing in the mirror… Pure chemistry. This is called retail therapy: making yourself feel better by buying something new.

A new excuse

So yes, the next time you come home à la Cher Horowitz with ten bags full of shopping skills: there's nothing wrong with that. It's good for you. Just tell that to Carrie, who spent $40,000 on shoes. Not good for your saving habits, but definitely good for your mental health. Out research it turns out that buying something, no matter how small, really improves your mood. It's not even about the possession itself. After a few weeks, you get used to your new shoes and no longer find them special – the kick is gone. It's about the feeling of control and reward that comes with it. Just the idea that you yourself determine what happens. And that is, especially on days when everything goes wrong, worth its weight in gold. Shopping works therapeutically. Not in the long term, but definitely after a rotten day.

Why does it have to be once a week then?

Duh, that's logical, right? Dopamine literally helps lower your cortisol (also known as the stress hormone). So it's simple: the more you buy, the more dopamine you get. Okay, okay, this doesn't mean you should go wild every day like a real shopaholic. It's not about buying new clothes weekly. That's not sustainable (and your wallet cries). It's about doing something nice for yourself. Whether it's a fresh bouquet of flowers, a chocolate bar, or a new pair of boots: it makes you happy. And you get less stressed. Or well, that stress goes away faster.

Still a disclaimer (yes, fun. I know)

Let me just state this: buying things for a little dopamine boost can be okay, but it shouldn't become a fixed daily pattern. If you order something with every sad mood, you won't learn to deal with your feelings. When you try to soothe every emotion with a purchase, it can even backfire: hello FOMO. Fear that you won't always have the latest trends or items. But okay, that's a doomsday scenario. Take a deep breath: you really do feel happier when you buy something, as long as you keep the balance. So limit it to once a week. That way you get your dopamine hit and your savings account survives too. And yes… secretly it's also quite fun to buy something every week. So go ahead and get that matcha, order that nice mug, and occasionally you can also buy that expensive bag. That's allowed from us.