Collector's Anonymous: Hi, my name is...

[Eau Rouge]

So the last 7 of 8 months have been really difficult for me. I'm trying my damnedest to cut the cord and get away from this hobby for most of this year. I just can't get away.

Let me back up a bit here, and explain. The last couple of years in R/C have been stressful for me. I've been involved and racing R/C for the last 25-odd years. It's been more than just a passing hobby for me. It's been a compulsive addiction that sometimes has even gotten in the way of my regular life. I've owned and raced just about everything—drag cars, nitro road and oval cars, carpet cars, off road, 1/12h scale, pavement, mins—you name it. Silly, I know. Stupid toy cars. Why would anyone have trouble putting these away? It's not like drugs or alcohol or anything dangerous, right?

The vintage collecting thing has just been an extension of that passion, filling the voids for me now that current-day racing holds little interest. It seems as though as I have gotten older and have identified my ADHD problems, I have also found that I am a compulsive collector. I pretty much knew this before, but not to the extent that I can't stop or get away from it.

Many months have gone by since I started puling back and away from this hobby, but like a true addiction, I am finding it terribly hard to stay away. Searching eBay for deals, scouring classfieds and even checking back in here, have all been reduced to minimums, but I still find myself getting sucked back in for uncontrollable reasons. It sucks. It's making me miserable, but I seem to be powerless to stop. The anxiety I get even from going in my shop now is to the point where I just avoid my shop like it's math homework.

I feel like I will need to get out and cut it off cold-turkey. Getting PMs and IMs and e-mails from fellow addicts tipping me to interesting items always puts my ass back off the wagon again, too. I'm beginning to think that I can't get away from this unless I JUST GET AWAY form this. After 25 years, it isn't that easy, though.

Part of my problem is that for me to sell everything I need to, I still need to be immersed in this hobby. eBay is a tool for sales, but also a weapon of mass destruction. It's been mainlined into my system for so long, it's not been easy to stay away. If someone came into my shop and offered me one lump sum for my stuff, I'd take it in a heartbeat, and even help load it all up.



So over the last few weeks of this starting to come to a head, I have been thinking a lot about addictions and compulsions and uncontrollable character flaws. A lot of us seem to suffer the same ills—some of us more than others—and some of us just keep spiraling into deeper depths. I'm finding the similarities of my own personal problems to the problems faced by alcoholics, addicts and other compulsive sufferers. The addiction runs deep, and the damage seems to be be widespread.

Have you ever...

• Bought an R/C item that you didn't know what it was?
• Bought an R/C item because you knew that you would use it later?
• Bought an R/C item because you had one just like it before, and were sorry you got rid of it?
• Bought an R/C item, only to get it in the mail, then promptly stuff it into a box in storage somewhere?
• Bought an R/C item because you thought you could re-sell it at a later date?
• Bought an R/C item that you didn't want, need or were looking for, just because you thought it was "cool"?
• Missed a family or personal event because you were waiting for an auction to end?
• Stopped work or business events to bid on or buy an R/C item?
• Had something you bought online shipped to a different address or to your office to avoid "getting caught"?
• Left work early to get the USPS/FedEx/UPS delivery left on the porch before the 'wife' gets home?
• Stayed up late just to 'watch' an auction end on something you knew was valuable or coveted?
• Buy something you thought was a good deal, then when you got it, looked at it and thought, "why did I buy this?"

Have you answered "yes" to any 2 or more of those questions? Are you in denial still?


I honestly believe that this is a real issue many of us face, whether we acknowledge it or not. I do think it is tantamount to real, destructive addiction. If it hasn't damaged our lives or ruined relationships, jobs or personal lives, I do think that it definitely has the potential. In my research, there isn't much available existing about "collection addictions" but I'm sure this isn't something new. Maybe just not recognized and diagnosed.




I've seen your workshops and storage areas. I know what your collections are. I know I'm not alone. Are you aware of your addiction? How do you cope? How do your loved ones deal? Is there stress and strain? Have you suffered for your hobbies? Are you in the same boat as me, and trying to fix the problem?

Help! I can't cut off the R/C collecting addiction!

[Halgar]

In my research, there isn't much available existing about "collection addictions" but I'm sure this isn't something new. Maybe just not recognized and diagnosed.

You might look under "OCD" and "hording", both have traits similar to what you describe. The problem with "diagnosing" a condition and labeling it is that it's generally only a method to absolve the "victim" of responsibility and prescribe mood altering substances. What you have to do is look under the symptoms for the root cause of the behavior. For instance, avoidance, by burying yourself in your "addiction", you don't have time or capacity to look at other character issues that you aren't ready to deal with. Toxic relationships can be another cause for a person to withdraw from the other by distracting themselves with something else.

Keep in mind that even things that would seem to be an addiction, aren't necessarily so. We tend to judge ourselves harshly for regrets, lost opportunities, and sometimes things beyond our control. It's ok to ask "why", but don't get caught up in the question nor the quest for an answer. Recognize the triggers and work to remove them.

What I would recommend is that you look what got you into R/C's so many years ago and what precipitated the depth of involvement over those years. What kind of relationships, both male and female, personal and professional, did you have? What kind of situation were you in physically - dominate, submissive, abusive, nurturing - and what was your emotional state. Life has ups and downs and you've had an emotional response to every situation, look for the patterns and, repeated behaviors. Whatever the cause, don't worry about it, because the past doesn't matter and has no bearing on what your future holds when you recognize what your triggers and underlying issues are. With that recognition comes conscious choice whether to repeat or continue a behavior.

[scr8p]

i try hard to not find my faults. passing blame is much easier. you know...... if so and so wouldn't have given me that cigarette, i would've never started smoking. if so and so wouldn't have given me that drink, i wouldn't have become an alcoholic, etc etc.

so with that being said, i blame bill for starting this site for hoopty and melvin. i was fine up until then.

[RichieRich]

A lot of compulsive behavior has a root cause being depression. I hope you're not suffering from that. I've pulled back my buying habits from ebay as when I get a project I become single minded in getting it complete. So, I'm good as long as I don't start anything new. Notice I haven't posted any new projects in a loooong while now. But, more importantly, most of my "extra" money goes to my little girls: saving for college and getting them little goodies here and there.

[Eau Rouge]

Nope, I've never suffered from depression, and would tend to consider myself the opposite. I've never suffered any emotion distress or disorders, and have always regarded my life as really fairy tale. Knock on wood, I have lived a really great life so far. I realize that OCD and other compulsive disorders are rooted in much deeper issues, but I'd tend to think that I don't fit that pattern.

I'm not necessarily trying to figure out the causes of all of my character flaws, just stop the one that sucks so much time and money form my life.

[bearrickster]

I am gulty! I have tried to walk away, but then I cant sleep and just look at Ebay to fall asleep. and find a few good deals then just a few more. then the Wife busted me a couple of weeks ago and Informed me that had spent way to much. I didnt even realise It was like how much? I admit I have a problem, just dont know what to do about it?

[klavy69]

just stop the one that sucks so much time and money form my life.

from experience it will just get replaced with another one. Mine went from my quad to slot cars to rc cars. Its what we do...having to have something to do is just life. If we didn't have something to do we would die. Think about it...you mentioned you were heavy into dragracing. If you didn't have rc you might have a tendency to go to the races more/get hooked even deeper and then decide to build a 1:1 car for 'something to do'. That was just an example but I think you know what I mean. Good luck trying to tame it but its called an addiction for a reason ...and yes, I am an addict.
Todd

[reign79]

Guilty guilty guilty i am very obsessive i have around 100 or so finished cars and i look at them and say allright time to sell and then i find myself saying well.......that one has a rare body cant sell that well...........that one has rare wheels cant sell that, i only have one of those so.........cant sell that either. At this point i sit and think well i f keep all of them they will be worth more later on and then proceed to open my laptop go to rc10talk,ebay, and rc classifieds. But a will tell you what i am 30 years old i have a wife and two young girls 9 and 11 and i always feel guilty but my wife and girls always tell me dad you work hard and vintage rc makes you happy and we love that. So the support of your family is key and the vintage rc thing does fill a gap from growing up working at an rc track and not being able to afford anything and wanting so much and now that i can, its all vintage so is life. So Eau dont get down on yourself if it makes you happy then let it be. Ryan

[JK Racing]

I am not obsessed....I only answered yes to 7 of your questions.

My obsession comes and goes, and lately its been waining. Makes the wife happy, but I am not. I enjoy the thrill of the bid, and scour eBay almost hourly (since I've been on disability, I REALLY don't have anything to do). When I get back to work, I know I will be having withdrawls.

It hard for me too, I dont like shelf queens, I want to run everything. But when I get to the track, out comes the RB5 or the XX4 or the T4, and I dont drop the vintage on the dirt. Why, I am too competitive, if I am going to race, I want to believe I am going to win. I plan on building my Pro SE and actually dropping it on the track, its going to be hard to do, but I am going to do it. If I can get over my Slash addiction....

[FasterLouder]

Add me to the addiced list...I managed to stay away from RC cars for around 12 years,but I always knew in the back of my mind that if I were to jump back in,it would get out of control,eventually.
I broke my dry spell by buying my RC10T2,a few years ago.
Then I decided I "needed" a buggy,so I bought a Losi XX...Then,I decided I "needed" a touring car.
I can't resist putting a car back to 'correct',full size,or 1/10th scale.
My first XX fell victim to this-Every part that could be replaced with graphite,was,then I had to update it to CR spec and...Now it sits on the shelf 'cause it's too nice to run.
Now I'm at the stage where I actively seek out restoration projects,the Turbo Ultima being a great example.
I quit smoking pot around 6 years ago and I used to smoke a LOT of pot...Had to do SOMETHING with all this money in my pockets that I would have spent on pot,so insert RC cars.
When I question how deep I'm in and how much money and time I've spent on RC cars,I just remind myself that it all would have gone up in smoke...Definitely makes me feel better!

Don't beat yourself up over things like this getting 'out of control'-Everyone needs something to do that they really enjoy doing!

[mikedealer]

i myself, and i think many others, fall into the category of buying a runner car on ebay, fixing it up and replacing all the parts to perfection, and since its too perfect its never run. i have fallen into that many times, ill spend $200-300 on parts, and then dont have the balls to run it lol.

lately, i have made a rule on ebay that i would only bid on Large lots of cars with extra parts etc, or parts that are cheap/same price they were back in the day.

i bought this last night pretty cheap
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=300272293114
has a optima, wild one, hot shot, a old traxxas, a 2wd tamiya truck, and 3 novak servos and other stuff. its not bad for the price.

now i will either end up selling a bunch of it, or keeping all of it lol.

[Bormac]

I reckon there are far worse bad habits out there for us to fall prey to. But seeing the subject has been put forward I can certainly see where some people can fall into the addiction of collecting.
I am really happy with the collection I currently hold,certainly not a huge one compared to many others out there and I usually cap it off at around 30 to 40 cars at any one given time. I dont buy nib kits to keep in the attic and pretty much everything I own I am prepared to run at one time or another.
I have built up a few cars that I have duplicates of ad am happy to leave them sit Idle for a while.
I have found that collecting and tinkering away in my workshop can have an adverse affect to my social life but I do get out often enough to keep things at a healthy level.
With any hobby or pass time I think balance is key. I have gone through different stages where I have been involved in different persuits of pleasure.Whether it be snowboarding,spear fishing, free diving and scuba diving, wake boarding or mountain biking I think its a good thing to try new things and dont worry too much about what is on ebay. Sure I like anybody else have missed an engagement to try and snipe an auction but I have long since realised that it wont be the end of the world if I dont land every bargain auction buy.