Shopaholics Cured!

Photos: Courtesy of Bump.com

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone when I say that shopping isn’t just about buying things; it soothes the soul and adds a little excitement to life. That new pair of pumps could be the ones that help you land your dream job or that new dress could catch the attention of that gorgeous man on the street.

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Yes, being a shopaholic – a woman (or man) who buys things she doesn’t need and can’t afford – is a real thing and now there is a way to cure it. A pill that was originally designed to treat Alzheimer’s can actually help shoppers with their urge to shop, as reported by the Daily Mail.

When shopaholics were given the pill, they spent less time and money on purchases. Impulse shopping was found to be triggered by a need to impress and problems with one’s self image.

The medication Memantine was designed for Alzheimer’s patients because it helps slow down the development of dementia by triggering the brain chemical glutamate. This chemical also causes obsessiveness, aka addictions. The Memantine works similarly for obsessiveness by slowing down the production of the chemical glutamate, causing the shopper to splurge less.

Is your shopping addiction so drastic that you’d take medication for it? We think we’ll just practice self control.