Shopping as therapy?

Our survey for Sheconomics tells us so far that more than half of the women who responded hit the shops when life is getting them down.

Yet research from the mental health charity MIND (www.mind.ork.uk) suggests this will only make them feel worse and that walking is a better mood-lifter than shopping. They found that people were 22% more depressed after visiting a shopping centre. After going walking however, they were 71% less depressed. Walking also boosted self-esteem, whereas the shopping centre sapped people's self-esteem along with their cash. All good reason to grab your hiking boots and not your store cards when life's not going the way you want it.

Or, to quote Janet Street Porter, Shopping: The loser's route to happiness