Topic - Retail Therapy. The part of your brain usually associated with fear, the amygdala, is also responsible for determining the value of an item.
Evaluating objects is something we do every moment. As it turns out, it is more of an emotional process than an intellectual one.
We laugh about the concept of retail therapy, but that idea actually may have merit.
Activity in the amygdala increases the more we value an object. It’s likely that the increase in activity prompts that “gotta have it, gotta have it” conversation that causes you to take those shoes to the cashier even though you know you don’t need them and cannot afford them.
Don’t think for one minute that the advertising industry is ignorant of this! If you overspend, you are likely falling prey to your overly-excited amygdala which is nothing but emotion.
Now that you know this, train yourself to talk back to it and find ways to distract yourself from overspending. Don’t let your amygdala get you into debt!
