Like “sex addiction”, “shopping addiction” sounds like a fake medical condition. But in reality, shopping addiction is a dangerous and very serious illness. Also known as Compulsive Shopping, the condition is often accompanied by depression and not only creates personal turmoil but can lead to financial ruin.

A few nights ago, MTV aired an episode of True Life that documented the lives of young people grappling with the addiction. I was skeptical at first, but from what I could see, the addiction to shopping manifests itself in many of the same ways as other addictions, like those to drugs and alcohol.

Do you think you might have a problem with your spending and that you might even have an addiction to shopping? Here are some ways to tell. If you exhibit any of these signs or even suspect that you have a problem, you should seek professional help, since my internet research and MTV viewership by no means make me an expert:

~You consistently spend far more than you budgeted for.
~Lying about your spending to others and/or hide merchandise you have purchased.
~Feeling an uncontrollable urge to buy multiple quanitites of things you don’t need.
~Deterioration of family relationships and friendships due to your spending.
~Returning items previously purchased, only to go on another spending spree.
~Shopping as a means to cope with negative emotions

You can watch clips of the True Life episode here: