The ‘AntiConsumption’ online community fights against consumerism, one post at a time. Its members share insightful content that inspires us to change our habits and reduce the accumulation of goods simply because they were suggested, rather than because we genuinely need them.
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In order to gain a better understanding of the psychological aspects of the consumerism issue that people face, we have reached out to a clinical psychologist based in the UK,Michaela Thomas. The founder ofThe Thomas Connectionshared with us some insight based directly on her clinical experience.We wanted to know if Thomas has encountered cases of compulsive or addictive consumption behaviors in her research or practice. We found out that: “Yes, I have clients in my clinic who can compulsively overspend or purchase items they don’t need. It’s important to understand the root cause behind this behavior, as it changes the treatment. If it is an acquisition behavior as part ofhoarding, where someone collects more and more things, and at the same time struggles to let go of things they already have, even if they seem to serve no purpose to others, then that consumption builds up into other problems, like cluttering, unhygienic homes, and arguments with loved ones.”
In order to gain a better understanding of the psychological aspects of the consumerism issue that people face, we have reached out to a clinical psychologist based in the UK,Michaela Thomas. The founder ofThe Thomas Connectionshared with us some insight based directly on her clinical experience.
We wanted to know if Thomas has encountered cases of compulsive or addictive consumption behaviors in her research or practice. We found out that: “Yes, I have clients in my clinic who can compulsively overspend or purchase items they don’t need. It’s important to understand the root cause behind this behavior, as it changes the treatment. If it is an acquisition behavior as part ofhoarding, where someone collects more and more things, and at the same time struggles to let go of things they already have, even if they seem to serve no purpose to others, then that consumption builds up into other problems, like cluttering, unhygienic homes, and arguments with loved ones.”
Asked what the psychological benefits of adopting a minimalist or simple living lifestyle are and how individuals can cultivate contentment and satisfaction with less, Michela Thomas explained: “Psychologically, it can feel a lot less overwhelming in your day-to-day with less visual clutter. It is easier to organize ourselves and find things day-to-day with fewer belongings. If we keep buying more and more, we can find ourselves less satisfied with the things we already have, or now get. Often there is a mismatch between the pursuing and the consuming of something we buy - that we focus so much on acquiring things that we don’t have enough time sitting in the appreciation of what we’ve got. If we buy something less rarely and learn the art of mindfullysavoringsomething after we have got it, we might feel more content and grateful for what we have. Having less is more, and doing less is also more.”
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