Oniomania: A Psychiatry-Historical Perspective

Abstract

Objective: Psychiatry-historical perspective on the conceptualization and classification of "oniomania". Method: Focused narrative review. Results: The term "oniomania"was probably coined in the 19th century by the French psychiatrist Magnan, and later associated primarily with Kraepelin. Kraepelin and Bleuler described "oniomania"in short paragraphs of their psychiatric textbooks. The nosological classification occurred initially within the framework of the "degenerative theory"of the 19th century; at the beginning of the 20th century, Kraepelin referred to it as "pathological drives,"Bleuler, following Kraepelin, as "impulsive mania,"and later as "psychogenic disorders"and as "pathological reactions of thymopsychic nature". The term "oniomania"appears very rarely in the current literature. Instead, terms such as "shopping addiction,""pathological buying,"or "compulsive buying"are preferred. In the ICD-11, "compulsive buying-shopping disorder"is listed as an example in the category "other specified impulse control disorders". Neuropsychological findings, however, support its classification as a disorder due to addictive behavior. Conclusions: The label "oniomania"emerged more than 100 years ago and can be seen as a precursor to the ICD-11 term "compulsive buying-shopping disorder."Currently, the disorder is viewed as an impulse control disorder or behavioral addiction.