Oniomaniacs: the popular framing of consumption as a disease

Abstract

The aim of this article is to examine the framing of excessive consumption as a disease-like condition in the Swedish press during the years 1992–2012. Against a theoretical background discussing medicalisation, we have analysed the characteristics of problematic consumption framed as a disease, as well as the presumed causes of and responses to this problem. Alongside and intertwined with a structural and a rationalisation perspective, we find discussions and explanations of problematic consumption as a disease all through the investigated period. Class and gender are noticeable components of the core problem description, but the reductionist assumption of addiction as a brain disease seems to point to a problem beyond historical and social context. The disease conceptualisation of problematic consumption can be seen as a compensatory perspective in an individualising and consumption affirming society. However, this perspective is ultimately decided by politics and not by research. Despite being a frequently occurring perspective on a conceptual level in Sweden, it is not a legitimate description in legislation or as a cause for public treatment interventions.

Keywords:

• Compulsive buying
• medicalisation
• Sweden
• 20th century

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Forte: Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare.