Collecting things

Does anyone else collect a particular thing and feel quite obsessive about it?

My collection kind of possesses my mind and is really bad for my bank balance, but also brings me massive joy.

  • I have a few collections and something that came up in the diagnosis, one that has become a problem, as I am spending most of my spare time just managing it. I collect plastic model kits, star wars and space art, old home computers. Have been obessions which most have died down, I don't know why but having a problem with the model kits. I spend much of my spare time managing it, carefully stored stuff in boxes, in bedrooms, not in the attic. I was devastated a few years back find some mould inside some of the kits. I started selling some on  ebay to reduce my collection. I did manage to resist buying loads last year, but past few months have got back in to that. I think it is related to my obsessive interests and my depression. I still want to continue the interest, but was to get my collection down to about 100-150. I also collect old audio equipment, which makes a big hit on my bank balance.

  • I’ve got some great pieces of wood at the minute. I showed my son, I said look at that, that’s some lovely pieces of wood! He just looked at me like I was mad! Lol! But I can’t stop looking at it and touching it! Lol! 

  • Yes, I collect minerals, rocks, pebbles, fossils and pieces of wood. I also like glass. 

  • Me too, I have loads, which is quite odd for an adult I suppose. My argument is that I need them for hugging purposes when I’m upset, because I don’t like the way it feels to hug other people.

  • Me too! I have also merged my stitching obsession with my traditional jointed teddy bear obsession (I'm very specific) by making them!

  • Yes, definitely. It was one of the things that came up in my (very) recent diagnosis, my wife and my mum came to my appointment and it's one of the things that has been the most long standing and obvious.

    Special Interests have come and gone over the years, each new one brings a compulsion to learn everything possible and collect and organise whatever forms the basis of it.

    My latest interest, believe it or not, was in traditional wet shaving. What started off as a money saver quickly turned into an obsession over shaving soaps and razor blades. I've tried shaving with razor blades from countries all over the world and the one tube of shaving cream at the beginning has now morphed into a collection that will easily last for years!!

    The clutter in the bathroom is driving my wife nuts lol.

  • Apart from the magic and ukuleles, given most of it away. It was hard but right thing to do.

  • Oh yes:

    Star Wars figures,

    1960’s collection,

    Law books, 

    Magic tricks, seriously you just keep on collecting.

    ukuleles.

    So I know the feeling.

  • I've collected fossils at every opportunity since I was a child. I haven't found anything really dramatic, it's mostly ammonites, coral and assorted shells, but gives me great pleasure. I could buy much better looking fossils in shops, but I'm really only interested in the ones I've collected myself.

  • Yeah, I’m an obsessive collector of things and yes, despite them some times eating into my bank balance, they give me great joy and pleasure. Don’t deny yourself that joy, see of you can either modify your collecting, as Robert did, or decide that you will simply receive a greater income to meet with your collecting needs.

  • I to have had collections, I still collect, for instance I like musical instruments and have many, I don’t go out and buy the best, I buy the ones others aren’t interested in any longer, car boot sales being the best place for that.

    I cannot actually play any of them.doesn’t stop me trying though.

    I seem to have periods where I become focused on one specific collection. I have seven cars, all the same maker.but all mostly different models, all follow the same theme as in estate cars, practical as well as reliable and easy for me to work on as I repair my vehicles, so older style cars, 1999 being the youngest I have.

    I never look to complete a set! Or have to have every one in a series, my collecting seems to last a short time for each, it varies, but I become super focused and have to know everything there is to know about each, so collecting musical instruments means I buy books so I can identify each one and then listen to music they are used in,

    i also usually buy one car and inevitably buy one the same as a spares car as it is cheaper than buying individual spare parts, unfortunately I often fix that car and have two cars the same both in working order.

    So things I have collected.

    cars.

    car manuals.

    Old mobile phones.

    musical instruments.

    old tools.

    fossils,

    I think I just become fascinated by each thing I collect, I want to know more so buying or collecting other variants allows me to experience them so I can keep it in my mind, looking them up in books is ok but that info would soon vanish in my memory.

    There are many other things but these are the biggest .

    I rarely part with anything I own,

  • Me and my late mother were both collectors.  Buying things we don't need or use, just to complete collections.

    I buy too many books.   Sometimes I read all of them at other times i might read some then buy others to complete a collection.  I also spend considerable time and money trying to find books to complete my collections.  This started in childhood with Enid Blyton books.  I had all 15 secret seven books, all 21 mystery of books.  Etc.

    Samewith DVDS.  I have a massive collection, I have only watched about 95% of it.  I just cannot get round to seeing every one.  For example my boxset of open all Hours, I've only watched half the episodes.

    My mother also collected.  When she passed away, we found in the fitted wardrobes collections of shoes.  Twenty pairs of shoes still in their original boxes and carrier bags with shop receipts.  All unused.  The shoes she walked about in day to day were knackered and repaired several times.

    A collection of bed linen. Again around twenty sets of linen with receipts in original packaging.  Hers was worn out and repaired multiple times.

    60  tea towels in full sets, by colour, by type such as flower collections,  collections of castles, animals etc.  Tea towels in use were torn, faded and stained.

    Cutlery collections, 5 sets, in use were different types.  Knifes did not match forks etc.

    Collections of crystal vases, boats, about 50 items.  Just for display.

    Finally collections of toliet paper.  I once used one roll from her collection when we ran out.   What a row!!!!! I got told off that that particular shade of mushy green peas was no longer available in the shops. How dare i put it down the toilet!!!!! 

  • I like teddy bears and I feel quite obsessive about them.

  • Yes, anything made of wood! Over the years I've 'modified' my obsession for collecting wooden things to only buying or bringing home those that I can justify to the family by claiming they're useful (pssst, it's not always strictly true). I even bought my children wooden toys, claiming they were more sturdy / robust / natural / authentic etc. and whilst that's all true, it's not the ONLY reasons I bought them. 

    Things wooden in my home include (but are not limited to):

    sofa (frames)

    coasters

    radio

    board games

    candle holders

    lamps / light shades & picture / photo / mirror frames

    ornaments (this is where the line between useful and not blurs)

    pens and rulers etc.

    children's toys and games

    boot heels

    clocks

    buttons

  • Greetings. "Collecting" or "obsessing" over things (which seem peculiar to NTs)... is part of the Diagnostic Critera for Autism, and so, well, good luck to you with this Thread, asking this question, upon an "Autism" Forum, I say, whilst just passing by...   ;-)