Thrift Therapy: The Unexpected Self-Care Practice You’ve Been Overlooking

Sep 7

6 min read

Some people meditate to escape the chaos of their minds. I slip into secondhand spaces.

Thrift stores, estate sales, and vintage shops are some of the only places my overactive ADHD brain finds quiet and calm. Submerged within a fabric jungle, under the glow of a flat fluorescent sun. Phone firmly in pocket, my eyes are free to drink in the symphony of fabric and color. My hands, to read textures like Braille. I am completely immersed in the moment, which is rare for me in this age of digital dependency.

I trace along a trail of hangers until one piece stops me cold. It’s heavier than it looks, weighted with secrets I can’t yet name. As I pull it from the rack, my suspicions are confirmed. A 1960s tag stares back at me, affixed to a rust-hued velvet blazer that could have walked straight out of the Summer of Love. The edges are embroidered in a way you don’t see anymore, and my mind overflows with questions. Who has it belonged to? What has it seen? What stories does it hold? The tag reaches out to me. Eight dollars for this velvet time capsule? I’ve spent more on lunch without thinking twice. This, on the other hand, feels criminal. Like I should pay and leave before someone realizes their mistake.

In my hands, it’s more than fabric. It’s time made tangible, and it’s in moments like these that I find grounding. This is why I come here. To slow down. To step out of the noise. To move at the pace of my own curiosity. To see what’s been left here for me to carry forward.

Why Do People Shop Secondhand?

Secondhand shopping is an experience unto itself. Unlike traditional retail therapy, it’s less about the destination, and all about the journey. The pursuit. The hunt. The discovery. And for the most part, its appeal is divisive: you either understand it or you don’t. I want to help more people understand it.

What makes someone want to buy used clothing rather than something fresh and unworn? Beyond the obvious factors like affordability and keeping textiles out of landfills, here are some of my favorite reasons for shopping pre-owned:

It’s a treasure hunt. You get to access one-of-a-kind, discontinued, or vintage items that you can’t find in mainstream retail stores. In certain cases, what you find in the wild might be the last of its kind or remnant of a brand in existence.

The quality is often better. In the days before modern mass production, manufacturers focused more on quality over quantity. That means heavier fabrics, stronger stitching, and better materials that can endure decades of wear.

The social and ethical impact. When you buy secondhand, you’re not just finding something to wear. You’re supporting small businesses and charity-based stores, extending the life of what already exists, and helping to reduce the demand for mass-produced clothing.

The serendipity factor. Thrift store racks change daily. Estate sales offer a brief glimpse into one unique life before disappearing. Yard sales scatter pieces of personal history across a lawn for just a few hours. Each piece takes its own journey to get to where you are. Then, somehow, you and that perfect piece converge in the same place at the same time. It’s a quiet game of chance, decades in the making.

And lastly, for me, it’s a meditative experience. As a millennial caught between the simplicity of the ‘90s and the overstimulation of today, secondhand shopping feels like one of the few activities we have left that keeps us fully present with the real world. And while it’s already gone digital in a big way, I pray we never phase out the ritual of wandering aisles, embracing fabrics, and letting the right piece find us.

But it’s not all about the clothes. Secondhand treasure hunting can support your mind, your mood, and your pace of life. Let’s talk about how.

Thrifting for Wellness?

You might be surprised to learn that shopping pre-owned can add more to your life than just a refreshed wardrobe. In fact, a number of Americans have already turned to secondhand shopping as a form of self-care. A 2025 survey conducted by Talker Research, conducted in collaboration with Mercari, found that 57% of secondhand shoppers consider it an act of self-care, with 70% of Gen-Z describing thrifting as an essential part of their wellness routine.

Here are just a few examples of how you can make secondhand shopping part of your wellness journey, too.

Healing Through Self-Expression

We’ve all been there. Burnout hits, a breakup blindsides us, or life shifts in some big way, and suddenly we’re itching to rework our personal style; sometimes, our entire sense of self. Healing happens in these transitional periods and sourcing once-loved pieces is an easy, low-stakes way of exploring your own self-expression without having to invest in an expensive wardrobe overhaul. It will also give you a chance to shop with authenticity and choose pieces that truly resonate with you instead of limiting yourself to whatever the trend cycle demands.

I recently spoke about this with Alisha, who works at Reclaim Las Vegas, an Arts District clothing shop whose racks are entirely filled with secondhand pieces sourced from local curators and archival fashion collectors. Alongside her work there, she runs her own secondhand clothing business online and sells her handpicked collections on two racks within the shop. Her personal motto: saving the world one garment at a time.

Alisha has also experienced the healing side of secondhand. “When I went through a really rough breakup, thrifting helped me in so many ways to reconnect with myself. It not only took my mind off the pain, but it also gave me space to refocus on me, my style, and my business. Sourcing secondhand proved I could sustain myself financially, and what I love most about it is passing that joy onto others and seeing the way people light up when they buy a piece from me.”

Mindfulness in the Hunt

I like to think of thrifting as a walking meditation. There’s no rush, no screens, and little distraction. It’s just you and the clothes: textures under your fingertips, colors drawing your eye, and the subtle slide of hangers across a rack. Your mind is fully present, filled with curiosity and possibility.

That might sound like fluff, but the benefits are actually physiological. Research published in BMC Psychology found that engaging the senses, especially through touch, can help calm the nervous system and shift the body out of stress mode. In one controlled study, participants showed lower anxiety levels and improved heart rate variability. In other words, their nervous system returned to balance.

Likewise, when you’re immersed in the slow, intentional ritual of the hunt, your senses are tuned in to the here and now in a way you might find surprisingly calming.

Connecting to the Story

Humans are wired for storytelling. It’s how we understand ourselves and each other. And once you’re tuned in, you’ll realize every pre-owned garment holds a story, even if you’ll never know it in full. Each piece is a fragment of a past life. A jacket worn to a protest. A dress that somebody fell in love with. A tie that gave someone the confidence to finally demand what they deserve. You might even start to see minor wear as character; evidence of a history that shaped a piece into something one-of-a-kind.

When you choose clothing with a past, you connect with the larger human experience, a story bigger than your own, in a way that makes you feel not so alone. In fact, there’s almost an unspoken camaraderie among secondhand shoppers.“Thrifting has helped me connect with people,” says Chase, another part of the Reclaim team. “I’ve met some of my closest friends while thrifting. There’s a deep sense of community, and I see it every day here at the shop. It brings people together.”

Beyond the Racks

People often frame secondhand shopping as just a bargain hunt, quirky hobby, or eco-friendly move. My hope is that you walk away knowing it’s so much more than that; a potential practice in presence, healing, self-expression, community, and self-care. If you’ve never tried it, consider this your invitation. The next rack you browse might surprise you with more than just a good find.

Looking to explore some lovingly curated secondhand fashion? Visit Reclaim Las Vegas at 1400 S Main St, Las Vegas, NV 89104, and follow them on Instagram at @reclaimlv. You can also follow Alisha for more vintage finds at @pmprettythings, and connect with Chase at @chasemontesouthern.

Sources:

Andrea is a Vegas-based writer, creative professional, and founder of Ruby Cat Creative, a boutique agency specializing in editorial content, digital storytelling, and general ghostwriting. Her work explores themes like emotional wellness, neurodivergence, self-reclamation, and modern burnout. When she's not writing, she can be found reading, thrifting, buying more plants than she has room for, or upcycling forgotten items into something worth keeping. Got a project, question, comment, or good antique store recommendation? Drop her a message at andrea@rubycatcreative.com.