DO YOU go shopping even when you can't afford it or buy things that you don't really want or need, just to feel the thrill of buying?

If so, you might be an oniomaniac - more commonly known as a shopaholic.

Imelda Marcos, former first lady of the Philippines, is one of the 20th Century's most famous shopaholics. She reputedly owned 1,500 pairs of shoes, as well as 2,000 ball dresses, 500 bras (one of them bulletproof!) and 200 girdles.

Recent studies carried out in the UK indicate that up to 10 per cent of adults may have compulsive shopping tendencies. And, with credit easier to obtain than ever, it's seems all too easy to get into debt.

Despite the popular perception of the shoe-addicted woman, it's a condition which affects male and females. Both sexes tend to favour clothes and shoes as snap purchases, but men may also overspend on gadgets, electronic goods and CDs.

Psychologists have begun to research the causes of compulsive shopping, so they can better help those with the problem.

"In the current consumer culture, almost all of us have purchased goods at some point to cheer ourselves up," said Helga Dittmar, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Sussex.

"But there is a 'dark side' of buying material goods. Buying only becomes an addiction when it takes on excessive dimensions - in terms of frequency, in terms of financial costs, including credit abuse and debt."

According to Ms Dittmar, it is now easier than ever for people to spend money they do not have.

"Credit facilities have mushroomed and, while consumer choice has clearly increased, people also experience the easy availability of credit as a negative pressure to spend and consume."

Alison Cornelius, from Worcester Trading Standards, advised those with a tendency to overspend to be careful of the methods of credit they used.

She said: "People think all credit cards are the same, but the interest charged can vary hugely. Also, a lot of store cards have much higher rates of interest than credit cards - sometimes nearly 30 per cent."

She also warned people to be careful about buying furniture or electrical goods over the holiday season.

"People visit furniture warehouses or electrical goods suppliers on Sundays because they're bored. If they want to buy something, they can get credit-rated on the spot," she said.

"If an agreement is signed on trade premises, it's usually binding. So if you get home and change your mind, you'll discover you can't cancel."

But there is plenty of help available for anyone who feels their shopping habits or debt is getting out of control.

Counsellors can help those who shop from depression or loneliness, and doctors have recently discovered that drugs used to treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be helpful to shopaholics.

Independent, free organisations like Debtline or the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (number below) can help with the practical consequences of over-spending.

The Citizens Advice Bureau dealt well over a million debt-related problems last year.

Moira Haynes, spokeswoman for Worcester CAB, said, "We have seen a very sharp increase in people coming to us with debt problems - 74 per cent in the last seven years."

She said that those with debts from shopping would not be judged or condemned. "We don't look at the reasons why the debt has happened," she said, "it's about getting people back on track. It's a very clear process designed to cope with all kinds of debt."

She advised anyone with worries about their spending habits to visit Worcester CAB as soon as possible.

"Our advisers know, from experience, that people don't seek help until it gets to crisis point - they've had a court summons or a visit from a bailiff. People tend to bury their heads in the sand, or they are in a panic because of other things that are happening in their lives."

"We are free, confidential and independent," she said. "Most of all, we're non-judgemental."

For anyone trying to regulate their shopping and spending, here are some tips:

Make a list of what you need when you go shopping - and stick to it.

Don't window shop: that's like a recovering alcoholic going into a bar "just to look".

Don't take cheques, debit or credit cards out with you - always pay with a set amount of cash you have allotted yourself beforehand.

If you can pay outright, do - it will make managing your money easier.

Plan activities to keep you away from shops, like going to the gym or visiting friends.

If you must use credit, shop around for the best deal on credit cards - try www.money savingexpert.co.uk to compare different rates.

£15,000 - the price of getting hitched

FOR richer, for poorer - and for most Worcestershire residents getting married these days it is the latter which is most appropriate, according to new research.

The findings claim that 70 per cent of couples in the UK pay for their own weddings and the average ceremony now comes in at, at least £15,000.

With the days of the bride's family footing the bill disappearing without trace, one in five couples now need to borrow money to pay for the expenses associated with getting hitched.

However, 17 per cent of couples are worried about entering married life in debt caused by borrowing to fund their big day, with women worrying more (23 per cent) compared with men (11 per cent), research for Alliance & Leicester has found.

Dream wedding

Almost four in 10 couples will cut back on some of their dream wedding plans due to money worries, but 61 per cent will not let money get in the way of their plans, researchers found.

And wedding finance worries can prove a strain on the relationship even before the big day, with 15 per cent arguing more about money.

Andy Bayes, Worcestershire spokesman for Alliance & Leicester, said: "With all the effort and energy that goes into organising a wedding, it would be a shame not to do the same when it comes to choosing the most competitive finance package to pay for it.

"Shopping around to get a good deal could ultimately impact your overall wedding plans - and whether you can afford a honeymoon in Skegness or the Seychelles.

"Getting married is an expensive and busy time.

"By not making the time to look for a competitive loan, couples risk ending up with a loan that can cost hundreds of pounds in additional interest - money that most newly-wed couples can ill afford to lose."