Affluenza

Affluenza is a coined term for psychological and social harms associated with consumerism, materialism, and the pursuit of wealth.

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Consumerism: An economic and cultural orientation that encourages acquiring and consuming goods and services. Affluenza names harms attributed to consumerism’s emphasis on acquisition.
Debt: An obligation to repay money borrowed or owed. Status consumption can encourage spending beyond available means.
Affluenza (1997 documentary): A 1997 PBS documentary examining consumer culture and its effects on American life. The documentary helped bring the term into public discussion.
Consumer culture: A social system in which consumption and consumer goods strongly shape identity, values, and everyday life. Affluenza is a critique of harms within this broader cultural system.
Materialism: A value orientation that gives high priority to possessions, money, and material success. Materialism supplies the value system often associated with affluenza.
Burnout: A state of exhaustion associated with prolonged, unmanaged workplace stress. The pursuit of wealth may reinforce overwork and chronic exhaustion.
Affluenza (2001 book): A book by John de Graaf, David Wann, and Thomas H. Naylor criticizing consumer culture and overwork. The book developed the term into a broad critique of consumption and social values.
Psychological disorder: A clinically recognized pattern of symptoms causing significant distress or impairment. Affluenza is a cultural coinage, not a standard psychiatric diagnosis.
Conspicuous consumption: The public display of spending or possessions to signal wealth and social status. Status-driven display makes affluenza visible in everyday consumption.
Depression: A mental health condition involving persistent low mood or loss of interest, among other symptoms. Affluenza discourse connects material striving with diminished psychological well-being.