Warning! Wardrobery excess can put your (mental) health in danger

Well, I could have gone overboard. It is fully possible. Of late, there's been arguments with a near and dear one about my hoarding habits and possibly addictive tendencies. My initial reaction was I can stop any time I want to, how telling is that?

There is plenty of info and dis-info on the net about oniomania (just call me shopaholism). One of the characteristics is that sufferers end up in debt, spending more than they have. I don't really do that. I'm a thrifter. Even when I have no money, I can go to the recycling centre and take something from the free section. But even if you don't overspend it doesn't necessarily mean that everything is under control, either. Does some of the following ring a bell?

1. Do you have much more clothes than you have time to wear? (Check. See the tights post and assume - rightly - that the same applies to other types of garments too.)
2. Do you shop when you feel down, or to avoid doing something else? (Check. Thrift therapy all the way.)
3. Does shopping give you a momentary high? And/or feelings of guilt? (Check and check. There's definitely many emotions involved...)

Now, despite all the checks, it's not a straightforward situation - I mostly shop when I'm happy, and shopping doesn't nearly always induce serotonine peaks... or lows. Oftentimes it's just like any hobby. Just like one can collect stamps and not be a stamps addict. But admittedly I'm a tad worried. If even some of the time the shopping is done to avoid other issues, I sure as hell wish to know what these issues are, and if there's a more constructive solution. To figure that out, I probably should abstain from shopping and instead sit down and think. Ha. Sounds easy, no?

Also, I am worried about the clutter that is taking up space in my apartment, and consequently, in my mind and my whole life. I say clutter even though I don't actually drag home clothes I don't even really like. Problem is, au contraire, that I love too many clothes. Still when lumped they do produce an unmanageable mass. Is this good for me? And what could I do about it?

Writing down these concerns is a first step for me. I found the advice given here quite sound, too. If you got worried reading this, maybe there's a reason, maybe not. A lot of us do comfort shopping once in a while and that doesn't constitute an addiction. But also, I think one needs to be realistic about the cons of excessive shopping. Even if it doesn't cost much, the money might be away from something else, something it'd be wiser to spend on. And as in my case, the stuff takes up space. Plus it may lead to arguments with others (likewise, this is the case with me).

As it says on my profile here I want to spread the joy of clothing and thrifting. This needs to be kept fun, people! That's why I think I should think some things over. The first thing I decided to do is to go through my stuff and try to come up with ways of making the collection more manageable, and clearing some clutter. I'll accept helpful hints from you and keep you posted on my progress (or lack thereof!)