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Digital Psychology

Doom Spending

Doom Spending

Doom spending is the tendency to make impulsive purchases driven by anxiety and pessimism about the future — a way of seeking comfort in the present when the future feels hopeless.

Details

What is Doom Spending?

Doom spending is when anxiety about the future — housing unaffordability, climate change, economic instability — leads to impulsive, often guilt-ridden spending. The logic: if saving or investing feels pointless, at least present pleasures are real.

The Psychology Behind It

  • Loss of control: Spending offers immediate agency when the world feels uncontrollable
  • Emotional avoidance: A purchase provides a brief dopamine hit that temporarily masks anxiety
  • Present bias: Uncertainty about the future amplifies the value of now
  • Breaking the Cycle

    Notice the connection between your mood and your urge to spend. Before opening a shopping app, pause and check in with your emotions. Mindy is here to help you find comfort that lasts beyond the checkout.

    💡 Real-Life Example

    Every time she read about rising rents and stagnant wages, she ended up on a shopping app buying things she didn't need — doom spending at work.

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    This content is for educational purposes and does not replace professional medical diagnosis.

    Doom Spending (Doom Spending) | 마음스캔 심리학 용어사전