If you’re a big reader of the Hey Do You website, you’ll know that many of the articles focus
on various topics; topics that are interesting and very helpful. These topics mainly fall under
the ‘lifestyle’ category. Now, it is no secret that people everywhere crave a better lifestyle,
whether that be through financial freedom, makeup, must have solutions, etc. Everyone’s
definition of a “better lifestyle” varies and is subjective. However, the common denominator
is that people are trying to reach a certain point of happiness. Yet, unfortunately, most
people don’t achieve true happiness, especially when they seek out an abundance of
material things. It’s no wonder that a significant portion of the US population lives with
mental illness. Note: this isn’t to say that material things can’t make you happy; they
certainly can! But, like everything in life, it should be in moderation.
So, we’re going to try something different today. Today we’re going to step away from
physical products and/or services. Today we’re going to talk about how you can achieve
happiness outside of physical products and how to simply improve your overall mental
health.

Ads! Ads everywhere!
Everywhere you look, there are advertisements. This is perfectly natural and you have
probably become accustomed to seeing them. However, subconsciously your mind is likely
telling you to “buy buy buy.” Unfortunately and unbeknownst to most people, consumerism
leads to depression. The key here is simply self-control. Buying products and services is
perfectly fine. However, there’s no need to be excessive about it. As the saying goes:
everything in moderation.

Control is Difficult Though
As noted above, “the key here is simply self-control.” Simply. If only it were simple. The
unfortunate fact is that this is easier said than done, and that’s understandable. We all have
desires in life, and these emotions can be hard to suppress, if not impossible. This is true
primarily because one of the only ways we can suppress our desires and impulse purchase is
by changing our economic philosophy as a society. For the foreseeable future though, this is
unlikely to happen.

Shopping Addiction
As you can see, shopping addiction is no joke. It’s also unhelpful that this isn’t really treated
as a serious mental health issue. It’s largely brushed aside. However, thousands of people do
in fact look for therapists in an effort to manage their spending habits. And, this isn’t
something people want to address. It’s become so bad that people are using Internet
directories to find a therapist.

Look, consumerism can be difficult to overcome. Seeing thousands of ads per day doesn’t
help your case. But, by simply applying a slight amount of extra control and self-awareness
can go a long way. The important thing to remember is this: go out and buy what you need!
Heck, buy what you want! But, do it in moderation and ask yourself if this is something that
will truly make you happy. Your mental health will thank you.