Spare a Thought for 24x7 Shopping Woes

What was once a weekend errand or an occasional indulgence has quietly transformed into a near-constant mental activity. With flash sales, midnight drops, push notifications, and AI-driven “recommended for you” feeds, shopping is no longer confined to stores - or even to deliberate intent. It now lives in the background of everyday life, just a swipe away.

Mental health professionals say this always-on retail ecosystem is reshaping not just spending habits but thought patterns. For many, particularly young adults raised in fully digital marketplaces, browsing has shifted from a casual pastime to a persistent mental loop. The consequences may not always show up as financial ruin. Instead, they surface as distractions, emotional fatigue, and chronic dissatisfaction.

From Habit to Preoccupation

Casual browsing, experts note, becomes concerning when it starts to feel uncontrollable. The shift is less about how much money is spent and more about how much mental space shopping occupies. “These days, most people have smartphones and also carry them in their hands the whole day. Casual browsing on social media platforms has become a habit,” says Dr. Pavitra Shankar, Associate Consultant–Psychiatry at Aakash Healthcare. “However, it is concerning when it is hard to control and one is unnecessarily browsing merchandise or other shopping websites all the time without any actual need.”

According to Dr. Shankar, red flags appear when individuals think about products constantly or check shopping apps multiple times a day, despite not needing anything. “It becomes a problem if someone is thinking about products constantly or checks apps many times a day, even when they don't actually need anything. Such people need counselling. They may be just trying to escape stress or loneliness,” she explains.

Dr. Minakshi Manchanda, Associate Director– Psychiatry at Asian Hospital, agrees that the turning point lies in intrusion. “It crosses the line when shopping thoughts start interrupting daily life,” she said. “A person may be at work, in class, or with family but still thinking about what to buy next.” That mental intrusion often comes with an internal struggle. There is often fear of missing out on a deal. Dr. Manchanda adds, “When shopping becomes a habit to manage emotions, it may be compulsive.”

Designed to Capture Attention

E-commerce platforms are engineered to keep users engaged. Personalized recommendations, limited-time offers, and scarcity messages are not accidental features; they are behavioural tools. “Always-on sales and personalized recommendations are built to keep the customer's attention,” Dr. Shankar noted. “This creates a feeling of urgency and scarcity, keeping the brain slightly alert.”

That constant state of mild alertness has cognitive consequences. Sustained exposure to shopping stimuli can lower attention span and increase impulsivity. Instead of focused engagement with tasks, the brain becomes accustomed to quick hits of novelty - new deals, new arrivals, new notifications.

Dr. Manchanda says that scarcity-based tactics such as the countdown timer and ‘only two left’ warnings activate fear of missing out. “The human mind perceives the fear of missing out as a minor threat. It forces the mind to act impulsively instead of thoughtfully.”

The Emotional Toll

For younger generations, the boundary between shopping and social life is increasingly blurred. Purchases are shared, reviewed, and displayed across platforms, turning consumption into a form of self-expression and comparison. “For the younger generations, our self-worth can sneakily become linked to the notion of ‘owning the right stuff,’” Dr. Shankar says. “When our self-worth is connected to our purchasing habits, dissatisfaction is built in.”

The algorithms that suggest products also highlight what peers are buying, wearing, and endorsing. “Young consumers who have grown up in an online world do not perceive shopping as segregated from their social lives and self-identity,” Dr. Manchanda observes. There is no break from the stream presented by various algorithms showing what others are purchasing. This constant exposure fuels comparison. Over time, it can erode emotional stability.

From Escapism to Exhaustion

Experts caution that the brain begins to associate scrolling and purchasing with mood shifts. Over time, this creates a loop: stress triggers browsing, browsing triggers momentary excitement, excitement fades, and dissatisfaction returns. Unlike substance addictions, compulsive shopping thoughts may not produce dramatic outward consequences. Bills may still be paid. Responsibilities may still be met. Yet internally, the constant mental churn can lead to burnout.

Breaking the Mental Loop

Mental health professionals stress that awareness is the first step. Recognising when browsing shifts from intentional to automatic can interrupt the cycle. Dr. Shankar suggests conscious breaks from shopping stimuli – turning off notifications, setting app limits, or designating tech-free hours. If intrusive thoughts persist, counselling can help individuals address underlying stressors or emotional needs driving the behaviour. Dr. Manchanda adds that reframing shopping as a deliberate activity rather than a background habit is crucial. Creating physical and psychological distance - such as removing saved payment methods or unsubscribing from promotional alerts - can reduce impulsive triggers.

As digital marketplaces continue to evolve, the challenge is not simply to spend wisely. It is to think consciously - ensuring that “just browsing” remains a choice, not a mental loop.