There is an addiction that has quietly made its way into our landscape. It is the live online auction. Apps that connect you to various sellers at any time of day that you can chat with. They have social elements where you can follow buyers and sellers. Some use giveaways to keep you watching and into the habit of spending more than you intended to. This blog post is about some harm reduction methods you can take to prevent yourself from pushing other aspects of your life aside in order to continue to buy.

The dopamine flood is real when there is something you really want (but didn’t even know you needed) could be yours if you just swipe. If there is only one item, you might regret not getting it, so you your impulse to capture kicks in. Sometimes sellers will yell at you to bid, use bells, or other coercive methods such as telling you a story about their financial woes to invoke empathy.

Sports cards and gaming cards such as Pokémon have different resell values, so many people have a similar kind of brain response as they would to gambling. Unopened packs could contain a rare card worth hundreds of dollars. The same for blind boxes. You have probably seen the little monsters that were all the craze but now the allure has begun to fade as the market became saturated, and their value has dropped significantly.

Some helpful tips:

  • Place spend restraints on your account.
  • Set time limits that your device will allow you to be on the app.
  • Keep track of the amount you spend.
  • Take screenshots or notes of what you bought.

Compulsive collecting or spending can sneak up on you quickly and the good news is, there is support. Collectors MD’s mission is to help hobbyists who can’t stop spending. They are a group dedicated to supporting mental health and provide peer connection to help people reclaim their lives. They also provide guidance for spouses, friends, and family of people who have loved ones struggling with compulsive collecting and spending.

Collector’s MD encourages you to #RipResponsibly and offers free education, support, guidance, and resources for individuals and families navigating these challenges. They have support groups, podcasts, an intentional collector’s guide, and lots more!

Connect at collectorsmd.com