I buy things I don’t need and don’t know how to fix it. I always blamed it on “drunk buying” but I’ve been sober for 355 days and it persists. I know I buy things in an effort to fill a void and try to feel something so I buy “things” but it doesn’t help and I know it. Any thoughts or suggestions?

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A couple solutions to try out: set a rule for yourself that you are not allowed to purchase anything immediately. You are allowed to add it to your cart. Set a time frame for yourself of at least 48 before purchasing to think about if you need it. Alternatively, create a spending budget. Gives you the power to still spend, but up to a certain limit.

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Oh I love this!!!

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This was me 4 years ago when I quit drinking. At first it was totally drunk buying, waking up the next morning to see what I had bought on eBay the night before LOL. But after I stopped drinking it helped fill the void that alcohol had left. I justified it as I wasn’t spending the money on alcohol anymore. I’m not saying that it’s a healthy way to deal with it but there are more harmful things that you could fill the void with. After four years it’s tapered off and I no longer feel the need to do that anymore. So maybe just give yourself some slack and some time.

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Yes - get some therapy and figure out the source of your void. I have definitely BTDT and addressing the source of my emptiness is what finally helped. My SO was the same - it also required taking a hard look at his life and finding meaning.

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OP, I am in the same boat. If I’m annoyed/bored/lonely my instinct is to just go on Amazon and buy something to make me happy. If I have a rough day at work, I immediately hit up the mall and buy something really expensive to make myself feel better. Just like booze, the joy is short lived and soon the empty feeling always creeps in

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Yeah, this is 100% me. I buy things for my wood shop thinking about a project I want to do and how much I will enjoy it, but then I get the thing and I either can’t make time for the project, or I start the project and get sidetracked

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Instead of going shopping, go “carting”. Fill up your online cart at your favorite places but don’t buy it. You get the thrill of shopping and picking stuff, but stop short of actually buying it. It’s a lot of fun!!

Maybe try investing? If you’re going to spend the money at least spend it on something that has potential to make you more money. I don’t know much about investing, but ever since getting sober - I love having the extra money- if my account goes below a certain amount, I panic - so I decided to do very small investments on the Robinhood app, but more importantly I opened a savings account - and every time Money is deposited into that account- it gives me that good feeling that we get when we buy something or win something - Best of luck xoxo

A gentle warning that Robinhood can become addicting if it becomes yet another dopamine hit, and meme stocks can trigger the YOLO brain, which could lead to big financial trouble.

I love the idea of investing it, but be smart, patient, and strategic (rather than greedy, selfish, and impulsive).

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