[Compulsive shopping--current considerations on classification and therapy].

Compulsive shopping is classified by ICD-10 (F63.8) as an "impulse control disorder, not otherwise classified". Several authors consider compulsive shopping rather as a variety of dependence disorder. It is characterized by the impulsive or compulsive buying of unneeded things, personal distress, impaired social and vocational functioning, and/or financial problems. In this case, we discuss a two-way therapy consisting of addiction-specific psychological education and high dose selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). We further point to compliance problems caused by SSRI side effects.