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Community Voices

Welcome to Community Voices – a space for real stories and perspectives from collectors navigating the realities of the hobby. It highlights experiences that often go unspoken, bringing awareness to the emotional and psychological side of collecting.

Through honest, first-hand insights, this section reinforces that no one is alone – offering connection, reflection, and understanding through shared experience.

REAL VOICES. REAL STORIES. REAL IMPACT.

Shared by members of the Collectors MD community:

“It’s like gambling, but there’s no regulation, no support, and no one talks about it.”
“I spent over $50,000 last year on breaks. I didn’t realize how bad it got until my cards weren’t even exciting anymore. I just needed the hit.”
“I kept chasing the next big pull, thinking it would make everything feel worth it. But all I was left with was credit card debt and unopened mail.”
"I had been going to GA meetings but still felt a little out of place. Sports gambling never affected me the way sports cards did, and for a long time, I thought I was alone in what I was experiencing. The isolation that came with my hobby-related struggles made finding Collectors MD and others who genuinely understood incredibly meaningful.”
“Just wanted to say that, as someone who has struggled with clinical depression and has been in and out of therapy for over 25 years, this is a great thing. I haven’t struggled with breaks, specifically, but having a mental illness in this hobby can be very isolating.”
“Thanks to Collectors MD and some extra willpower I haven’t joined a break since our first meeting. Hoping to stay away for the foreseeable future.”
“After a few days away from social media, some time spent self-reflecting, and a Collectors MD peer-support meeting, I’m feeling refreshed and reformed.”
Collectors MD has given me a place to talk openly about the challenges I’ve faced with compulsive collecting and overspending alongside people who genuinely understand. The meetings and community have helped me become more self-aware, more intentional, and build a healthier relationship with my collecting journey."
“Last night was my first meeting. I didn’t say anything, and it may be a few more meetings before I do, but I can already tell that this group is going to make a big difference.”

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YOUR VOICE MATTERS

Every experience shared can help another collector feel seen, understood, and less alone. If Collectors MD has supported you, or if you would like to share your experience with compulsive collecting, overspending, hobby burnout, or recovery, we invite you to add your voice.

Stories may be shared anonymously upon request.

Interested in sharing your story? Email us at info@collectorsmd.com.

SUPPORT OUR MISSION THROUGH THE CMD FOUNDATION

Collectors MD provides peer support and education and is not a crisis service or substitute for professional mental health, medical, substance-use, legal, or financial care. If you are experiencing an emergency, crisis, or immediate risk to yourself or others, please contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline immediately. If you or someone you know is struggling, experiencing emotional distress, or thinking about self-harm, help is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are outside the U.S., please contact your local emergency number or a trusted mental health resource in your country. You are not alone, and support is available.

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