Retail Therapy: Getting Over it Without Ben and Jerry

We've all heard the term 'retail therapy,' and usually it's used in a derogatory manner, as if it's a bad thing. But is it? Retail therapy can be the one thing that gets you over the hump, whatever the particular roadblock may be. As a single woman out there in today's dating world, I can attest to the fact that shopping has helped me immensely-and I have probably helped out a few retailers immensely as well.

When you've been stood up, or dumped, the etailers and retailers are there for you. You can immediately come home from that rotten date, or non-date, and find Ralph Lauren waiting for you. You can amend any wardrobe malfunctions you may feel have brought on your recent dumping, adding pieces you've always coveted, and the rush you feel when you hit 'place my order' is like none other.

Many a night I've made both myself and Ralph or the owners of Banana Republic much happier after a short shopping trip. There's no one around to judge you in the privacy of your own home…you can add things to your basket without your friends or a salesclerk giving you a raised eyebrow (Yes, I do want the velvet pants in a size 8, thank you very much), and there's no one around to see your final total. And most importantly, when my fingers are busy on the keyboard there's no time for them to spoon ice cream down my throat, so in fact, shopping saves me calories, keeping me slim enough to fit into those new pants or dresses.