Buying a new dress can make anyone feel giddy — but some people are actually addicted to the rush they feel at the register. Make that many people: More than 10 million Americans may be compulsive shoppers.

These people often rack up huge bills buying things they can’t afford, says Lorrin Koran, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University. “There’s an idea that retail therapy is useful,” he says. “In fact, it can be destructive.” Here are some signs of compulsive shopping and how to kick them.

You frequently buy things that you don’t need or use.

Like gambling addicts, binge-buyers have trouble controlling their impulses. “There’s pleasure in the moment,” says Dr. Koran. “There’s regret and guilt afterward.” Shopaholics soon lose interest in their purchases, sometimes even forgetting what they’ve bought.

Former binge-buyer Mary Carlomagno, 39, shopped every day and bought the same items over and over, filling three double closets. “I would look through my closets and think, I haven’t worn that,” recalls Carlomagno, who wrote about kicking her shopping addiction in Give It Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better With Less. “There were not enough days in the year to wear it all.” (For more about how Carlomango kicked her shopping habit, see “How I Detoxed From Shopping”.)

Solution: Pause before purchasing. April Lane Benson, Ph.D., a psychologist in private practice in New York City and author of I Shop, Therefore I Am: Compulsive Buying & the Search for Self, advises patients to ask themselves a few key questions before plunking down the plastic: Do I need this? What if I wait? How will I pay for it? Where will I put it? Dr. Koran recommends tracking your purchases. Keep a log of what you bought, how much it cost and how you felt before, during and afterward.

Whenever you’re stressed or sad, you head for the mall.

Think nothing beats the blues like a new pair of shoes? If shopping is your solution to a lousy day at work or an argument with a friend, you may have a problem. “Shopaholics often look at shopping as an escape from being depressed, angry, lonely, upset or even bored,” says financial planner Stacy Francis, founder of Savvy Ladies, a nonprofit group that educates women about finances.

Solution: Identify the cues that make you want to shop ’til you drop, advises Benson. Then find healthier (and cheaper!) ways to cheer up. Talk to someone who makes you laugh, take a walk or relax in a bubble bath.

You constantly shell out money for things you know you can’t afford.

Debt is one of the most serious consequences of compulsive shopping. “We see huge amounts of credit card debt and a lot of this can lead to bankruptcy and, for some people, destroyed lives,” says Francis.

Solution: Pay with cash or a check to make bingeing more difficult. “Paying with cash hurts a lot more and it helps you keep track of what you’re spending,” says Francis. Also, identify the items that give you the urge to splurge and steer clear. “If you have to return something in the store and you’re going by the jewelry counter and jewelry is your trigger, take a different route,” Benson suggests. Find other ways to indulge in your favorite things. If you adore clothes, treat yourself to a thick fashion magazine rather than designer duds, suggests Carlomagno.

You hide your purchases.

Shopaholics often go to extreme lengths to prevent others from finding out about their spending sprees. “I’ve known several people who had their credit card bills mailed to a P.O. box so their spouse wouldn’t know,” says Dr. Koran.

Solution: Don’t shop solo, as most binge-buyers do. “Shop with a friend who knows that you have the problem,” advises Dr. Koran. Ask your shop-ping buddy to help monitor your purchases. You’ll be forever indebted!

You buy too much for others.

Compulsive shoppers don’t just splurge on themselves. They often buy lavish gifts for friends and family. “They overbuy for other people and end up being embarrassed that they have so much, so they don’t give it all,” says Dr. Koran.

Solution: Why buy? Show a loved one you care by baking a batch of cookies or creating a book of coupons for favors such as a night of babysitting. “Making something from scratch or offering your time means much more than any item you could possibly buy in a store,” says Francis. If you have to shop for gifts, make a list of what you’ll get each recipient and stick to it.