有人曾經做過一個調查，大家在心情郁悶的時候都會做什么來調節情緒。“大吃一頓”或者“購物”是多數人的回答。其實，如果從心理學的角度來分析的話，估計這兩種方式都算得上是某種心理療法了吧。所以，要說還是商家有頭腦，知道每逢光棍節，不少單身人士都會比較郁悶，不如干脆大搞促銷，讓單身的人們參與retail therapy（購物療法）。

Retail therapy is shopping with the primary purpose of improving the buyer's mood or disposition. Often seen in people during periods of depression or transition, it is normally a short-lived habit. Items purchased during periods of retail therapy are sometimes referred to as "comfort buys".

“購物療法”指為了調整情緒或精神狀態而進行的購物行為。這種情況多發于情緒沮喪或調整期，一般不會持續太長時間。這期間購買的物品有時被叫做“安慰購買品”。

Retail therapy was first used as a term in the 1980s with the first reference being this sentence in the Chicago Tribune of Christmas Eve 1986: "We've become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy."

“購物療法”（retail therapy）這個詞首次使用是在上世紀80年代，最先出現在1986年圣誕前夜出版的《芝加哥先驅報》上：“我們已經變成了一個用購物袋衡量生活質量，用購物療法撫慰心靈創傷的國家。”