It’s the Wiring.

Just like a flickering light that keeps returning no matter how many times you change the bulb, emotional spending isn’t about the surface problem, it’s about the wiring underneath. For ADHD brains, that wiring includes lower dopamine levels that make shopping feel like relief from stress, boredom, or loneliness. This post unpacks why emotional spending happens, how it becomes a coping mechanism, and what it really takes to break the cycle without shame or blame.