Pill may curb shopping urges

LONDON, March 6 (UPI) -- Researchers say there is a pill that might be able to cure shopaholics.

The drug Nalmefene, which is already thought to defeat compulsive disorders such as gambling, kleptomania and even sex addiction, may be able to stop the urge to spend, the Daily Mail reported.

University of Minnesota psychiatry professor Jon Grant, M.D., said addictive shopping is very similar to gambling addiction. "It has the same kind of urging and cravings to engage in the behavior even though you know it is screwing you up," he said.

Grant was commissioned to carry out research by the Finnish firm drug firm, BioTie Therapies, which developed Nalmefene to treat alcoholism. He is about to begin testing it on 2,000 shopping addicts, the newspaper said.

Martin Zack, of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, told the Daily Mail the addictive behavior is a medical condition just like any other, such as heart disease.