A Journal of Behavioral Addictions study noted that compulsive spending involves individuals buying items they don’t need, or that result in them not having enough money for necessities. In these situations, individuals may not allocate their money in a way that is beneficial.
Compulsive spending requires a treatment approach with consistent, targeted interventions that may revolve around emotional support. Email allows professionals to deliver this support to patients in real-time to reinforce therapeutic techniques.
Compulsive spending, or compulsive buying disorder (CBD), is a behavioral condition where a person feels an uncontrollable urge to spend money. The behavior is driven by emotional triggers rather than a practical necessity, serving as a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety, or low self-esteem.
According to a Monitor on Psychology study published in June 2023, “When people don’t feel financially secure, it manifests itself in so many ways, whether it is increasing their anxiety and their stress or decreasing their ability to engage in complex thinking.”
From a psychological perspective, compulsive spending is a risk to mental well-being. It can exacerbate stress, anxiety, and depression as patients face mounting financial problems. The shame that comes with this behavior can isolate individuals, preventing them from seeking help.
Email allows patients to engage with educational content, reminders, and motivational messages whenever they feel ready and receptive. This freedom reduces the pressure often felt in clinical encounters and creates a calm, reflective environment. Patients struggling with compulsive spending may wrestle with feelings of shame and anxiety, factors that can inhibit open dialogue during visits.
Research from the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association has shown that “overall, messages were concise, formal, and medically relevant. Very few (5.1%) included sensitive content, and none included urgent messages,” suggesting that patients feel comfortable keeping e-mail communication focused and appropriate.
Responding to emails at their own pace helps lessen these barriers, promoting honest self-reflection and deeper processing of behavioral insights. It extends care beyond rigid appointment schedules.
Evidence from the JAMIA research found that “the majority (82.8%) of messages addressed a single issue” and that less than half “required a physician response,” demonstrating that patients often use e-mail for straightforward, manageable interactions that reduce provider burden while still maintaining meaningful engagement.
Email also excels in delivering personalized, targeted interventions, a factor given that compulsive spending is not a one-size-fits-all problem. Effective messaging can provide tailored financial education, helping patients recognize their unique spending triggers and emotional cues. For example, some may respond best to step-by-step budgeting strategies, while others benefit from cognitive behavioral techniques to manage impulsivity.
Email acts as a real-time behavioral coach by delivering nudges that can interrupt impulsive spending. The hallmark of compulsive spending is the sudden urge to make purchases without full consideration of consequences.
The Journal of Behavioral Addictions study also states, “Specific internet features (e.g., ubiquity, availability, anonymity, infinite scrolls) and e-marketing (e.g., e-branding, livestream shopping, specific payment options, personalized recommendations) may amplify the addictive potential of online buying/shopping.” Email reminders, whether automated or clinician-driven, can prompt a pause, trigger conscious reflection, or offer quick alternatives like relaxation exercises or spending cool-down periods.
These subtle behavioral cues, grounded in principles of behavioral economics, help patients build new neural pathways for self-control. Unlike a static pamphlet or a one-off counseling episode, these timely nudges reinforce positive habits daily or weekly, helpful for overcoming entrenched compulsive patterns.
Reflective practices, such as tracking expenditures and identifying situational triggers, are beneficial to long-term management of compulsive spending. Emails that encourage patients to log expenses or journal emotions bind recognition to action, strengthening awareness and control. They can also offer seamless pathways to digital tools like budgeting apps or virtual spending journals.
Patients, already juggling the complexities of managing health conditions, can become overwhelmed when presented with an excessive volume of emails. A Permanente Journal study provides, “Evidence is emerging, however, that these well-intentioned efforts also risk overwhelming patients with a constant barrage of input that induces message fatigue and, ironically, may lead them to opt out of further communications.
Excessive repetition of health messages to community members can lead to message fatigue and even counterreactions.” This overload creates a counterproductive cycle where patients start ignoring messages, missing reminders, educational content, and even calls to action that could positively impact their health.
The reality is that while healthcare providers and systems may send emails with the best intentions, without careful management of volume and relevance, these messages risk becoming part of what patients perceive as “noise” rather than trusted communication.
What makes email fatigue particularly concerning is how quickly it can erode a patient’s willingness to engage. Increasing the number of emails stops producing benefits and instead leads to diminishing returns. Patients who feel inundated by messages show declining rates of email opening and interaction, eventually opting out altogether to regain control of their inboxes.
This behavior not only frustrates providers’ efforts to maintain contact but can also leave patients without the ongoing support they need to manage chronic conditions or make behavioral changes. For patients grappling with complex issues like compulsive spending, missing these communications could mean the difference between progress and relapse.
Related: Top HIPAA compliant email services
Generally, email should complement a treatment plan or be used for follow-up questions or to provide additional resources. If PHI is involved, the email must be encrypted and securely sent.
Protected health information includes a person’s health, medical care, or health operations.