Lindsay Lohan’s problems with alcohol and drugs have been well documented in the media. The 27-year-old has been in and out of rehab, and she was even legally obliged to wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet because of drink driving offences. An article in Daily Mail this week is suggesting that Lindsay has now developed a shopping addiction. It suggested that she turned to this new maladaptive behaviour while she was in rehab, and she is now spending about $5000 (about £3250) a day on internet shopping alone.
Does Lindsay Lohan Have a Shopping Addiction?
Lindsay Lohan has plenty of money so there are many of her fans who would claim that it is up to her what she does with it. It certainly sounds less damaging for her to be wasting money on things she doesn’t need than to be using the money to pay for drugs. The reality is though that shopping addiction can become a huge problem, and it can have many of the same effects as other types of addiction.
It is reported that during her recent stay in rehab, Lindsay was ordering so much stuff that the facility ran out of storage room. It also became very inconvenient for other clients as it began to feel as if they were staying in a warehouse rather than a plush treatment centre. Others have speculated that this behaviour is a sign that Lindsay is using shopping as a means of escapism so that she does not have to face the real issues in her life.
Is Shopping Addiction Real?
Some people question the idea that there is even such a thing as shopping addiction. While it is true that this type of behavioural problem differs from dependence to alcohol or drugs because there is no physical addiction, it is still considered an addiction problem. This is because it will usually mean that the person is doing something compulsively even though it is obviously causing problems in their life.
Shopping addiction can lead to serious consequences for those who fall into this behaviour. Not only is it a way to hide from emotions, but it can also lead to serious financial problems. Like other types of obsession, the individual will usually end up in a downward spiral where it begins to have an increasingly negative impact on their life. This happens because the person develops a tolerance to the buzz of shopping, so they need to keep on spending more and more money in order to enjoy the sense of release.
Is Lindsay Lohan Engaging in Addiction Substitution
If the reports of the shopping exploits of Lindsay Lohan are correct, it sounds as if she has fallen into the trap of addiction substitution. This refers to a situation where people engage in new maladaptive behaviour rather than dealing with the real problems in their life. It is a sign that the person has become stuck in recovery, and there can be no further progress until the person is able to break away from the addiction substitute and deal with their issues.
One of the biggest risks with addiction substitution is that it can only lead to two places – a miserable life in recovery or to relapse. In order for Lindsay to make progress in her new life, she will need to face the driving force behind all of her addictive behaviours. Managing symptoms is not enough because it can just mean that her inner demons just start to haunt her in other areas of her life. A therapist can help people dig down to the real problem, so there is no longer any need to turn to maladaptive behaviours in order to cope.
