Social Anxiety Support Forum banner

Impulsive behavior and spending related to depression?

1K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  climbon6786 
#1 ·
I get myself in trouble for being impulsive. Usually when I am in a ****ty mood, it's like my depression takes over and my thoughts are not clear at all and I act stupidly.

I think that if there was a witness of my behavior or that I could watch myself with the eyes of someone else I would be shock at how impulsive I can be. I don't have a steady job, didn't for the past 2 years, but I get a few gigs here and there. I had some savings as well. Usually I am not the kind of guy who spend a lot on clothes or restaurants. I stay home most of the time. But I always had a weird attraction for horology, wristwatches of all kind. Not really a collector but I had way too many. It's a pattern, I buy, sell, trade and re-buy. I find comfort in doing this. But it also bring lots of anxiety because I put financial stress on me over stupid objects.

I can spend hours and hours browsing the bay, looking for some vintage watches, I can spend a couple of hundred on a piece and be super excited, feeling great for a couple of hours and then I realize how stupid this was and that I'm gonna have to sell something in order to clear some money.

It's a real disease, a never ending pattern. I am never happy, always in search of something else. Worst part is that I seriously don't need any of them. I could sell everything and be relieved. It's one of the few hobbies that I enjoy but it's also a big source of anxiety. I guess it could be compared to gambling at some extent. Anyone in a similar situation? Where depression and anxiety makes you act impulsively?
 
See less See more
#3 ·
That's fine with me. Knowing that I'm not the only one doing stupid things that are contributing to my stress and overall anxiety. I feel ridiculous doing the things I do. I feel lonely so I find refuge in material things I guess. I could spend that money on social activities but then it involves people and I appreciate only a very small percentage of people.
 
#4 ·
Joe, that is a symptom of anxiety.

It's a common feature wanting to numb or forget your anxiety with escapist activites or things that boost your reward system. Buying things is an instant gratification boost in your reward system.

Online is even worse since you don't get the same satisfaction until you have the product in your
hands, which makes it easier to slip up and buy even more things than you would have if you had been in a brick and mortar store.

You could call it an addiction really, it has the same function as being alcoholic or whatever: steering away from bad thoughts.

I had a similar thing with watching movies, I would watch movies into early morning just to numb the pain of having to face another day. Of course it made me even MORE anxious since I couldn't even sleep enough to go to work. so then I watched more movies.

If you enjoy it, you're not clinically depressed. When you're depressed you don't enjoy anything at all.
 
#7 ·
Spending Too Much

I have bad social anxiety too and have compulsive shopping problems. I spend thousands a year on my wardrobe, new car but I can't afford anything else and am constantly broke. It sucks, a lot.

One thing that has helped me with slowing down the spending is Neurontin. It did not help me until I got to 1800 mg/day though. I have no more social anxiety either. I still shop, but it is less, and for different reasons. I have money in my bank account again and am conscious about what is a good item to spend on and how much is in my account.

After I stopped spending compulsively, I had to go up on a higher dose of my antidepressant. Apparently shopping was filling feelings of depression.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top