The overwhelming need to buy for compulsive buyers is an obsession that can ruin finances, marriages, careers and even lives.  Though “shopaholic” and “retail therapy” jokes abound, compulsive buying and credit card addiction are no laughing matter.  An overwhelming majority of shopping addicts, or compulsive buyers feed their addition by using credit cards.  April Lane Benson is a compulsive shopping researcher, psychologist and author.  She estimates that 60%-70% of the compulsive shoppers she works with have credit card debt as a result of their shopping addictions.   A credit card addict can be defined as someone who has to use their credit card for every little purchase.  Shopaholics often have to seek psychological therapy for their addition and credit card debt settlement programs to help with debt relief.