Self-Help

If you’re fairly certain that you can navigate your overshopping problem on your own, there are many self-help resources to help you.

Dr. Benson’s book, To Buy or Not to Buy: Why We Overshop and How to Stop has been used as a self-help resource by thousands of people. Some of their comments are on the sidebar to this page. To purchase the book, click here.

Dr. Benson’s blog, with dozens of posts, is divided into the following categories

There are a great many other, helpful books and videos, all listed in the resource section of the website.To access them, click here.

We’ve also compiled a comprehensive list of articles and blogs related to compulsive buying. To access them, click here.

And, finally, here is a list of in-person and online support groups and discussion boards, hypnosis tapes, and a few personal finance sites.

  • Debtors Anonymous: Debtors Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from compulsive debting. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop incurring unsecured debt. There are no dues or fees for D.A. membership.
There are D.A. meetings in every state, as well as telephone and online meetings.
  • Shopping Addicts Only: This Yahoo online support group is a forum in which people overshoppers seek and provide support, guidance, and companionship for other overshopperss that also have a shopping addiction. It is free of charge. After becoming a member, a person can post messages on a message board, contact other members, and gain access to helpful links.
  • Daily Strength: Daily Strength is an active online support forum with a shopping addiction support group. Individuals can post discussion comments and questions to peers in order to get advice, help concerning treatments, and moral support.
  • MySelfHelp.com: This website provides an online, interactive self-help program for illuminating compulsive shopping. It is staffed by healthcare professionals to aid people in improving their quality of life. There’s a discussion board for both members and visitors, a free newsletter, and a free online program about how to help loved ones cope with issues.
  • Addicted.com: This website provides a variety of recovery resources for people struggling with addiction, their families, and friends. Highlights include a panel of experts in specific areas of addiction who answer readers’ questions, a directory of addiction treatment centers, including virtual tours, and a directory of addiction counselors. The site offers addiction self-tests, links to 12-step programs, and current articles on many types of addiction. Also on the site is Addictedspace, an online forum for site visitors, and a hotline, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for assistance. Membership is free and requires only online registration.
  • HypnosisDownloads.com: This 18 minute downloadable audio file details the steps in the compulsive buying cycle and uses guided imagery and visualization to help overshoppers gain control.
  • SaveKaryn.com: On this site is the story of Karen Bosniak, who found a creative way to get out of debt and, in the process, became an inspiration for others in debt. The site offers down home and helpful suggestions for getting out of debt by a former debtor.
  • DailyWorth.com: Daily Worth is a community of women who talk money.  They deliver practical tips, empowering ideas, and the occasional kick in the pants…free, daily, to your inbox.
  • TheSilverPurse.com: The Silver Purse is a personal finance site by women and for women. Find tips for setting goals, investing, reducing debt, and more.

We wish you patience, persistence, and much success.  Please know that if you need our help, you can contact us by phone 917-885-6887 or by clicking here.