We are all born consuming, from childhood we observe the need to acquire products and services during various life situations. However, there is a fine line between consumption and consumerism which can be broken when there is no balance between what is actually needed.

As a result, we see a great social pressure to be accepted, and we forget what actually generates values and principles for the being's existence.

A timely reflection: do you give more importance to material goods or to moral goods? Notice that in countless moments we buy products that bring us a momentary satisfaction. Soon after, we ask ourselves: "Did I need this?" Let's understand the reason for this in your mind!

What is the meaning of the word consumerism?

The meaning of the word consumerism It refers to an individual's excessive and unbridled tendency to acquire new things.

In other words, it is the action of consuming a lot, and mostly unnecessary things, a compulsion to search tirelessly for products that, in general, become superfluous.

What is consumerism?

In the meantime, consumerism is the act of buying excessively and without real need The individual acts on impulse, seeking in his acquisitions to bring about sensations such as:

• welfare;
• self-affirmation before society;
• momentary pleasure.

In the face of product industrialization, marketing, and e-commerce, consumerism has grown exponentially.

In short, the consumerism is the disruption of balance Thus, we can classify the society in which we live as a "Consumer Society", due to the fickle need that individuals have to have material goods.

What is a consumerist?

In summary, a normal person buys products and services that are necessary for everyday life, such as food, clothes, furniture, and appliances.

On the contrary, the individual becomes a consumerist when he is always looking to buy something new, incomprehensibly For example, the launching of a collection of clothes of a famous brand, or a product with new technology, as happens a lot with smartphones.

In this way, being a consumerist can bring catastrophic consequences in the long term, especially financial ones. However, the person with this compulsion is unable to measure the results of his excessive purchases.

How to identify a consumerist?

You probably have people around you who prefer to go shopping to relieve their daily stress You prefer going to the mall to any other leisure program? Maybe you are a consumerist.

With the ease of credit and marketing everywhere, especially on the internet, society is influenced to go shopping. Sometimes they exceed their credit card limit just to have, for example, the clothes from the new collection to show their friends.

In the meantime, to identify a consumerist person, observe the reaction when faced with the launching of products of a certain famous brand. Will they say they have to buy it, or will they think about whether they really need it? If the first option occurs continuously, without a doubt they are facing a consumerist person.

What is the consumerist behavior?

Thus, the main aspect that differentiates the person who consumes normally from the consumerist is exaggerated behavior. individual is always looking for new things of products, known brands, launchings, not caring about the real need.

Therefore, the characteristic of consumerist behavior is the lack of control in purchases, being easily influenced by the media by the illusory need for those products. So, the consumerism becomes part of his routine.

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Still, this attitude also occurs due to the exaggerated consumption to give presents to other people. So, with an infinite number of presents, that generate an almost cultural "obligation", there is an exacerbated consumerism at festivities, such as Christmas, Children's Day, and Mother's Day, for example.

What is the difference between consumption and consumerism?

Establish a limit between consumption and consumerism may be one of the greatest challenges of contemporary society. consumption refers to conscious buying It's about things that are primordial to everyday life.

On the other hand, consumerism is the over-acquisition of products, often without any practical use for life, making the act of buying an impulse, which breaks the line of necessary consumption. For example, buying a pair of sandals just for a certain party.

Above all, there is an intrinsic link between mass advertising and power. We are talking here about self-assertion, about wanting the approval of the other through demonstration of your assets materials, doing everything to show them off, as proof of being better than the next person.

Consumerism in Psychology

For consumerism to reach the pathological level, that is, a psychological disorder, the consumption relationship must be part of most of the individual's life. In other words, he cannot recognize himself if he does not shop, affecting his emotional health, damaging his life in society.

In addition, their financial routine becomes untenable, because purchases necessary for survival are replaced As a result, these disorders can destroy relationships, even to the point of losing the family's financial health.

In this respect, the consumerism is considered as a pathology when the following characteristics are observed in relation to the act of consumption:

• impulsiveness;
• compulsion;
• dependency;
• financial loss.

In this way, consumption becomes compulsive consumerism when there is an irrational lack of control in purchases, that is, when the individual loses any critical and social sense with his unbridled acquisitions. It refers to a chronic, uncontrollable, repetitive cravings to acquire consumer goods.

However, it is worth analyzing your acts of consumption and analyzing whether or not they break with what is considered necessary. Think: will what you have just bought add value to your life or to your family's? Was it a thoughtful or impulse purchase?

If what you have learned in this article has made you think that you are having emotional problems about your acts of consumption, seek help. It will probably be necessary help from a professional who understands the secrets of the mind With this, you will learn to control your impulses and live better.

Therefore, try to understand more about the human psyche and improve your self-knowledge. With the study of Psychoanalysis, you will be able to get insights about yourself that would be practically impossible to know on your own.

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