Compulsive buying disorder

Compulsive buying disorder (CBD) is characterized by an obsession with shopping and buying behavior that causes adverse consequences. Most persons with CBD meet the criteria for an axis II disorder. CBD is found in 5.8% of the United States population, of which approximately 80% are female. It is frequently comorbid with mood, anxiety, substance abuse and eating disorders. Onset of CBD occurs in the late teens and early twenties and is generally chronic. CBD is similar to, but distinguished from OCD hoarding and mania. Compulsive buying is not limited to people who spend beyond their means, it also includes people who spend an inordinate amount of time shopping or who chronically think about buying things but never purchase them. Promising treatments for CBD include medication such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and support groups such as Debtors Anonymous.