If all of the back-to-school sales and end-of-summer clearances are making you feel overwhelmed, you're not alone. A new study shows that the craziness of large sales may cause shoppers to experience symptoms of serious mental health conditions, such as anxiety or a loss of reality.
Researchers surveyed people who recently participated in a major sales event, such as Black Friday. According to the results, 20 percent of participants experienced high levels of anxiety during the shopping event, 23 percent experienced a change in their perception of reality known as "derealization," and close to 50 percent felt a lack of empathy for other shoppers.
The results may explain horrific incidences that have occurred at Black Fridays in the past, said study researcher Noel Hunter, a doctoral student in psychology at Long Island University in N.Y., such as trampling of shoppers, use of pepper spray and even a shooting.
Hunter said that marketing ploys, such as making certain sale items available for a limited time, boost anxiety. "They're purposefully trying to increase anxiety, which then results in all of these symptoms," Hunter said.
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