The function of email in combatting compulsive spending in patients

Compulsive spending requires a treatment approach with consistent, targeted interventions that may revolve around emotional support. Email allows professionals to deliver this support to patients in real-time to reinforce therapeutic techniques.

The risk behind compulsive spending 

Compulsive spending, or compulsive buying disorder (CBD), is a behavioral condition where a person feels an uncontrollable urge to spend money. The behavior is driven by emotional triggers rather than a practical necessity, serving as a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety, or low self-esteem.  

According to a Monitor on Psychology study published in June 2023, “When people don’t feel financially secure, it manifests itself in so many ways, whether it is increasing their anxiety and their stress or decreasing their ability to engage in complex thinking.”

From a psychological perspective, compulsive spending is a risk to mental well-being. It can exacerbate stress, anxiety, and depression as patients face mounting financial problems. The shame that comes with this behavior can isolate individuals, preventing them from seeking help. 

Using email to combat compulsive spending in patients 

1. Send personalized email updates showing spending patterns, emphasizing areas where spending spikes, and encouraging reflection on their triggers. 
2. Provide weekly or biweekly reminders to pause and evaluate purchases before spending. 
3. Encourage saving by sending motivational emails celebrating milestones or progress towards financial goals. 
4. Share tips and actionable strategies tailored to emotional spending triggers, like setting spending limits or practicing delayed gratification. 
5. Send links to mindfulness exercises, stress management techniques, or guided meditations to address the emotional triggers of spending. 
6. Share step-by-step email guides on automating savings, bill payments, or debt payments to help patients regain control over their finances. 
7. Provide email templates with scripts or checklists for handling urgent financial temptations, helping patients pause before making compulsive decisions. 
   
   

Why using HIPAA compliant email is the best way to communicate

The asynchronous nature of HIPAA compliant email lets patients reflect and respond to messages from their mental health providers at their convenience. The ability to do so provides a sense of control that complements treatment as much as the educational content shared within the email. From the perspective of a healthcare provider, the use of HIPAA compliant email is also a method of sharing emails that might contain indicators of the patient's condition without the concern of violating HIPAA. 

Related: Top HIPAA compliant email services

FAQs

What is consent? 

When a person gives their clear and voluntary agreement for something to happen. In a healthcare setting, it is when a patient agrees to a specific treatment or allows their personal health information to be shared.

What are ‘traditional methods’ of communication?

Traditional methods of communication are older ways people share, like face-to-face conversations, phone calls, letters, or faxes.  

What is PHI?

Protected health information includes a person’s health, medical care, or health operations.