dolls just for lonely people?

I suppose I may have been a little lonely, but that's never bothered me, I prefer to be alone. I have plenty of friends who are there when I want to hang out, however, I've noticed lately that I've desperately wanted a child for some reason. So that MUST be why I want a doll, right?

 

If anyone saw "My Strange Addiction", there was a guy who was "married" to an (OT) doll. But when he was talking about dolls in general, it made me think about the BJD hobby, and I worried that a lot of what he was saying could have been applied to BJD hobbyists.

Let me just say, I have no intentions to marry my dolls.

I think part of why I have my dolls is because I'm not alone in this hobby. If this was an extremely vague, and totally obscure hobby (like collecting carpet fibers, if that sounds obscure enough ) with maybe one or two people in the world also taking part, I might not have wanted to buy my dolls. But because there's such a large community with all different kinds of people and dolls, I feel much more "sane" about it. I don't consider myself "lonely" at all, though I find that I am sort of in the "gray area" of social norms; I don't subscribe completely to pop culture, but I'm not someone who subscribes completely to a subculture, either. I take what I like from both.

But also, on the less-deep side, they do give me something else to photograph besides my cats.

 

I'll throw in my two cents' worth.

I'm social. I'm a social creature. I'm outspoken, creative, and hang around with a large circle of friends. I throw parties and fill the house.
If that sounds a bit like bragging, consider that while I've always *wanted* to be social, I was something of a pariah as a child. Two different school systems, and I still had trouble making friends. In fact, I had trouble preventing the other kids from hating me.

So I'm your basic ugly duckling story.

I really didn't need yet another social circle when I fell into the BJD hobby. I was already a toy collector, an artist, a professional performer, on committee for several conventions, a gamer, and a costumer. I've had to drop out of many of my clubs and organizations because I didn't have the time.
And now I'm part of a local Doll Club and planning to join another.

I'm far from lonely. I live with a fine gentleman and we enjoy each other's company. I have friends and family who seek me out (and I them) and rarely have time alone unless I want it. But I do love my dolls, and I do love the social aspects of the hobby as well as the solitary aspects of it.

Everyone else has said great things about how a doll, or a collection of dolls can ease someone's loneliness, or exacerbate it. I agree; it depends upon the person. However, I have met some people and become very close with them because of this hobby, and at least two of them were people with social anxieties who would not have met me otherwise. I'm very thankful that their dolls gave them the excuse they needed to get out and talk to people.

 

I haven't read through the whole thread, so please excuse me if I seem repetitive ^^;;;;

Well, I'm not what you would call antisocial, but I'm pretty picky about friends. I do love socializing, but I wouldn't call every person I meet a "friend".

I buy these dolls because I like them, and it's really fun working on them. Besides, the feeling of being able to make your character into something tangible is very nice

But I agree that dolls can help lonely people. Not everybody is a social butterfly, or makes friends easily, or has lead a perfect life, and just having bjd gets you in contact with many nice people. I know that some people uses the dolls a a sort of healing item, and people I personally know has overcome personal problems working with bjd...

 

I have a doll and a tremendous amount of friends, and some of those friends have dolls. I don't think BJD's are just for lonely people.

 

I think dolls might help those who are lonely to discharge their loneliness but I dun think that dolls are for lonely people... I think it is for anyone who really like them ~

 

Not limited to lonely people...
Everyone who appreciates can enjoy the fun of having BJDs!
I think that creator of dolls(who?) does not intent to create doll just for lonely guys~!!(o>"<

 

Yeah, I think that's a small part of it for me. I'm home alone a lot, as my husband works and I work from home. I have a cat, and don't have many friends that I go out with. I don't have a problem interacting with people, I just happens that I'm by myself a lot. But like a lot of people said, dolls aren't a substitute for humans.

 

I wouldn't say a doll is for lonely people only, because its for everyone and anyone who loves their BJD. A doll can never take the place of a human.

 

What's ironic is that I feel that BJDs have allowed me to become more social, meet more people and actually interact with people who share a common interest. I had the first party in my entire life, last week, and it was all thanks to BJDs. I'm so thankful for them and for allowing me to become more social.

 

I'm far from lonely or antisocial, my circles of friends is rediculous... I shouldn't know that many people irl O_o. I love myself (narcisist much) too much to ever be lonly. If my love for BJDs cause me to disassociate with reality and real human contact then I will for reall commit myself lol.

 

I don't think I'm lonely. Def finicky about friendships but I do like to spend time with others and don't look at my dolls as a substitute for that.
I agree with Staria, if anything collecting dolls (BJD and others) has helped me to be more social. I mean if you're carrying a doll around with you in public you're bound to have to chat with someone about it! hahahahha
Mostly I look at my dolls as a creative outlet and a way to destress when I need to.

 

i never think of my self lonly or anything like that! I love dolls and that is the reason I colect them for me, somehow I like my doll to wear something that I would not wear such as gothic, lolita clothes, and night clothes, or nay other clothes that I wish I can wear but i have no courage to wear. I found it happy that I can dress them differently from ordanary people or sometimes I like them to git in as well. &#65321;think collecting doll is a beautiful hobby and there is nothing lonly about it. we should be proud and happy that we know their existance and be able to collect them.

 

Although I don't think that dolls are strictly for lonely, antisocial people, I'm one of them, haha. At least antisocial; I'm perfectly fine in my solitude. ^^
I don't purchase my dolls to fill a void, social or otherwise, and to do so would be unhealthy, I think.

 

I don't like this association. I think that when people find out that I collect dolls that they think this of me. It weird.
I have friends, not many, but I do have some. *sigh*

I don't think dolls are *just* for lonely people. Although, when you're lonely your dolls can make you feel better. =)

 

Loves dolls - is not at all lonely. Period.

 

The notion that dolls are just for lonely people is quite silly. I live with my boyfriend and an awesome roommate, so I'm never lonely. I like dolls for their artistic value, not because I'm emotionally lacking.

 

Actually I don't really think soo...Even most of my friends don't know what the BJD means, but I'd really like to share the pics with them, specially for my best friends. They will tell me what they think, one of my best friend made some clothes and dress for my doll and she don't even have any BJD, because she knew that's exactlly maybe the 'things' I like very very much.

I don't feel lonely, I love spending time on my dolls and take some pics even one or two weeks. I'm gonna also spending time for hang out with my friends, sometimes I took my dolls with me and I'd really fell that we share this sweety moment together.

I'm agree with '' dolls could help people and can make them feel not lonely''. Maybe he or she feels lonely, but if he or she could feeling better by having one, why not? ^^

 

I don't believe they're just for lonely people, I think that even people who are happy and friendly can find joy in this hobby. I've actually dealt with both sort of situations. When I bought my first boy I was in a great place in my life, but I didn't do much with him. In the fall I moved into a new house with new people, my life sort of took a turn. I don't enjoy my housing situation currently and had serious money troubles for a while. That's when I started interacting more with my boy. Even if it was just sitting him on my lap at the computer rather than on a shelf where he used to be. I impulse bought a pukifee even before my money troubles were fixed but it didn't stress me out more. He was a little joy to have in the house. So they cheered me up through a hard time.

Then at the end of January the dog that I'd had for 13 years passed away and I had nobody to talk to about it at the time. So I started looking at dolls again. I almost bought one that night but stopped myself. Although I've since bought another and a head and am looking for a body.
So yeah, I think being lonely, as well as other factors, have contributed quite a bit to my hobby. But this is MY case. Honestly I'm not antisocial, I have good friends and go out and have fun, I'm just going through some hard times. But I know I'll still love them when I get out of my current situation. I've got more money now, getting a new house, and I still have my other puppy as well as my new 'niece' (my sister's dog that I just adore and love to coddle) and I'm still spending time with my boys and looking to buy more.
So, dolls JUST for lonely people? Absolutely not. Anyone can enjoy BJDs, and everyone's situation and reason for collecting is different, so generalizing isn't going to work for this hobby

 

This is a tough qustion. I think its probably a rather sweeping genralisation for the most part especialy since I'm sure most people get lonely. Me personaly, I do find myself getting lonaly alot but thats not at all to do with me being anti-social. I have a nice group of friends who I adore but of course they cant be with me all the time.
For the most part dolls appeal to me as a creative outlet rather than company.