Black Friday and Anxiety

written by Kristen Fuller, posted on Discovery Mood

Black Friday cannot only create anxiety, but it can also take away from valuable family time. Many Black Friday sales begin the night of Thanksgiving, so instead of eating dessert and sharing laughs, many people leave the house to stand in never-ending lines to get their hands on a coveted sale item. The advertisements are tempting with so many steep deals on technology, clothing and toys, but is Black Friday worth the anxiety and time lost with family members?

Black Friday is the official start of the holiday shopping season, but for many, holiday shopping anxiety takes a toll. If you struggle with feeling anxious about holiday shopping, you are not alone. Our society sets certain expectations about how wonderful the holidays should be. We are told that giving and receiving gifts should make us feel happy. These expectations often escalate very quickly and can become so grandiose that their fulfillment is no longer plausible. This leaves many individuals riddled with anxiety.

Taking a break from Black Friday shopping may not only curb your anxiety, but will also give you time to spend with your family and friends. Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving and allows you to shop online from the comfort of your home or office without having to deal with the crowds, long lines and the crippling anxiety that comes with these Black Friday stressors.

How retailers induce anxiety around the holidays

Retailers are known to promote a level of anxiety among holiday shoppers by depicting deals as being singular or exclusive, such as: “This deal will only last for 24 hours.”

Insisting that a deal is only good on a particular day or during a short window of time creates a sense of urgency, even if that deal might become available elsewhere during the year. This sense of urgency in marketing can promote anxiety in consumers because they fear they will miss out. These simple messages are advertising ploys to increase consumerism. Realistically, there are deals on items throughout the year.