Many have said that one of the reasons consumerism has become such a prevalent activity among people today is because it helps people cope with stress. In fact, an astute Chicago Tribune reporter coined the term “retail therapy” in 1986 to describe the phenomenon. Now, after reading this particular theory, you are probably asking yourself the question: “Does shopping really bring people happiness?” » Well, there's no doubt that people - whether it's a mother buying women's cashmere (http://illann.com/women.html) sweaters for her daughter or a husband who buys jewelry for his wife - find some form of satisfaction in buying things. After all, shopping for a particular purpose or occasion is like running an errand. When you have done it, you have actually accomplished something and it would make sense that you would feel happy and satisfied with that. But today, many people buy for the sake of buying, and therein lies the crux of the problem. Does the act of purchasing really help eliminate stress, depression or anxiety? Do arbitrary purchases really help people ?...