Stress Shopping: Gen Z's New Self-Care Trend? Emotional Relief Comes With a Price Tag

• Gen Z uses stress shopping, from fashion hauls to food orders, as a coping mechanism for emotional relief amidst early-career instability, academic pressure, and social media influence.
• The practice, once 'retail therapy,' has evolved into a structured routine facilitated by apps, instant payments, and influencers, offering fleeting dopamine hits.
• Dr. Santosh Bangar emphasizes awareness of triggers, tracking emotions, and asking 'Do I really need this?' to manage stress-driven shopping habits.
• Research by Yasuhisa Hama suggests shopping can reduce stress through 'diversion buying' (acquisition and expenditure factors), but excessive spending does not increase relief.
• Businesses profit from stress shopping, often fueled by FOMO and influencer culture, raising ethical concerns about promoting emotional dependency over genuine value.

Why It Matters: Stress shopping offers Gen Z temporary emotional relief but poses financial and mental health risks, challenging businesses to balance profit with ethical responsibility.