Shanghai Woman Shops So Much She Needs Another Home

(Source: Douyin)

A 66-year-old woman in Shanghai, identified as Wang, has gone viral after it was revealed that she spent a massive 2 million yuan (approximately RM1,317,000) on online shopping. She even rented another apartment just to store all her unopened boxes because her own home is packed to the ceiling. Her story has sparked a big discussion in China about the mental well-being of older people. 

Wang lives by herself in a flat in Shanghai, and over the past few years, she has been buying tons of stuff from online stores. She keeps most of these items unopened in her home, making her apartment incredibly messy. Her neighbours have even complained about bad smells, flies, and cockroaches because of all the clutter.

Her Home Is Full and There's No Room to Sleep

Wang admits she's addicted to online shopping, saying it makes her "excited." However, there's a more surprising reason for her extensive spending. She explained that she wants to spend all her money so her friends and relatives won't ask to borrow cash. She believes that if they see her home overflowing with purchases, they'll realise she doesn't have spare money to lend. 

She mainly buys cosmetics, health supplements, and gold jewellery during live-streaming shopping sessions. The packages in Wang's flat are piled so high that they reach the ceiling and she says she can't even find a place to sleep. She also owns an underground garage packed with items, and months ago, she even rented an additional flat to store the overflow.

Neighbors Try to Help, Family Unreachable

A local official said that Wang's daughter lives abroad and her other relatives rarely visit her. The residential committee has tried to reach out to her family to help Wang change her habits, but they haven't had any luck. Last May, the committee even organised a clean-up with Wang's permission, but unfortunately, her hoarding continued afterwards.

A Look at Hoarding and Mental Health

Experts are weighing in on Wang's situation. Shi Yanfeng, a psychiatrist in Shanghai, pointed out that many people with hoarding disorder also struggle with depression and social anxiety. Another doctor, Yan Feng from the Shanghai Mental Health Centre, added that treating hoarding disorder is a long and challenging process. 

Many people online have also shared their thoughts, with one person suggesting that "the root of her problem is loneliness," and another urging younger generations to "care more about elderly members of their family."

(Source: South China Morning Post)