BLOOMINGTON - Compulsive buying adversely affects one in 20 American adults, an alarming statistic with the nation's largest shopping season right around the corner.

A Twin City woman, for example, sought help from budget counselor Jeff Telling recently because her monthly expenses exceeded her monthly income by about $1,000.

She had just divorced her husband and following the advice of her mother, bought herself something nice to feel better, recalled Telling, of Family Credit Counseling Services in Normal.

The buying never stopped, Telling said.

Now, if her parents don't bail her out, she'll likely go bankrupt, he said.

"The short-term fix avoids the long-term solution," Telling said of people's desire to curb depression through shopping.

The problem is getting so bad that the Stanford University Medical Center is testing a drug that could curb the urge to spend. The university said 5 percent of American adults suffer from compulsive spending and that men are just as likely as women to suffer from the disorder.

During the holidays, people aren't necessarily buying to curb depression, but compulsive shopping is certainly an issue this time of year, Telling noted.

While scouring stores for that perfect gift, many shoppers find it difficult to avoid the post-Thanksgiving discounts, for example. Often times, they become overly generous or buy items for themselves.

The average shopper will spend $800 on the holidays this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That goes beyond gifts and decorations. Shoppers will spend nearly $100 on themselves, according to the NRF survey.

Retailers, meanwhile, are trying harder and harder to expand that business.

According to BizRate Research, 62 percent of retailers begin their holiday promotions on Nov. 4. Some have even had holiday displays since September.

Online retailers are getting into the act, also, with more than 83 percent offering free shipping during the holidays, compared to 64 percent last year, BizRate said.

The message is clear: shop, shop, shop. Unfortunately, some shoppers will drop when they see their interest-laden credit-card bills long after that Christmas sweater has gone out of style.

"We're not even to Thanksgiving yet, and I'm seeing Christmas lights in the stores. Commercialism is a very strong influence," Telling said. "We should be planning now, not for this year, but for next year."

If holiday shoppers start a budget now, they can pay cash for gifts next year and avoid the high interest and fees of credit cards, he said.

"Someone is going to spend 10 percent to 20 percent more if they're carrying plastic," he said.

While shopping this holiday season, people should pay cash whenever possible. Not only does that help them avoid the high interest rates of credit cards, it also keeps shoppers within a budget, keeping compulsive buys to a minimum.