Normalizing Retail Therapy
Retail therapy remains a layered human response towards internal and external struggles.
Words Luis Joaquin Gregorio
January 05, 2026
What is retail therapy?
Today’s society is filled with many practices aimed at sustaining our personal needs, and one of these is the pursuit of comfort through purchasing new things in order to experience something new. This is especially evident today, as retail is no longer limited to physical stores; the internet now acts as a convenient and influential shopping medium.
When we purchase items online or directly from stores, we exercise our free will to provide something for ourselves, whether we need it or not. Retail therapy often functions as a spirit lifter for many of us, particularly during times of heightened stress or when we are seeking self-reinvention.
Although it is debatable whether retail therapy is a universal response, it is a multidimensional approach rooted in our individuality and stage of life. Now, can money actually buy happiness?
More than a transactional relationship
The word therapy is attached to the concept because it has been shown to influence people’s behavior. Indulging in our wants and needs is not as superficial as it may sound; it can also be a form of survival and practicality.
Experts state that engaging in retail therapy allows individuals to release “happy hormones,” commonly known as dopamine. The rush of excitement and satisfaction we feel when we get something for ourselves enables us to tap into a familiar sense of positivity.
According to studies, retail therapy is deeply intertwined with identity-seeking and self-reflection, with technological products playing a significant role in shaping cognition, emotions, and behavior. It also highlights how retail therapy can help individuals manage the negative aspects of their lives in a constructive way.
Retail therapy has become normalized in modern society because it often manifests as a source of motivation for many of us. We tend to perform better in life when our aspirations are fulfilled and our emotional burdens are eased.
The concept of retail therapy is no longer unorthodox, as the culture of self-gratification has long existed in our world. Whether it involves new clothes, shoes, or toys, buying things gives us something to look forward to and allows us to sustain parts of ourselves that are not often nurtured.
Our relationship with our purchases does not completely define who we are; rather, it reveals a distinct approach we may need in order to attain our optimal selves.
An act of self-care
The pleasure we derive from this kind of activity is not something to feel guilty about, as it allows us to acknowledge ourselves and advocate for who we are. At the end of the day, it can be considered an act of self-care, and each of us has a different way of practicing it.
Retail therapy can be viewed and explained from different perspectives, but one of its key aspects is that we consciously buy things not merely for the sake of spending or flaunting them. Instead, it becomes a way to reward ourselves or reclaim self-autonomy.
That said, it is also important to be mindful of our purchasing behavior in order to determine whether we are still being reasonable or acting out of pure impulse. Collectively acknowledging this helps reduce the negative stereotypes associated with retail therapy while keeping us accountable at the same time.
