Our Strange Addiction?

I'd argue that I'm pretty far "down the rabbit hole" sort to speak. I enjoy carrying around my dolls from time to time, refer to certain ones as "spoiled" (I mean, one of them just HAD to have leather pants), and occasionally say things to them. However, most of the time they just sit around and look like really pretty table decorations.

Now, they certainly don't take priority over work or friendships( in fact, because of the hobby I honestly have more friends than I've ever had before), so I don't really consider it an addiction. However, my boyfriend would argue that it is because it involves so much money, but I'm a pretty thrifty sort.

 

Every user has their needs, and apply them to their BJDs, regardless of the other people opinion's, for example I don't have "long" conversation with my dolls (or toys, or any other object I own), but I wold be lying if I say I don't talk them at all, for example "please stay there!", "sit here..." or "sorry, I have to move you a little bit..." are common expressions (like when my PS3 doesn't read a disc and I say to "her" ..."C'on!"), so I guest we all have, even the ones ho doesn't feel a deep affection in particular to their dolls, the need to say something to them every now and then....many people think they wouldn't be able to live and sleep in my room because my things are "creepy", but I'm completely used to them, as many other users changes their Dolls clothing regularly, and I rather not, once they have their set of clothing just like I think it's perfect they stay that way, so everyone has different opinions on how to handle their own dolls I guest...

 

I could say I'm very addicted.
My list grows and everyday there is someone with me in the living room, or some sewing I want to get done for them. I don't talk to them much, but damn, I think if I ever got mad I'd buy a Lusion doll and care for her like I'd take care of a child!
Hahah ^^;

A thing I think strange about myself is that I both praise my dolls with things and punish and do things that would make the character angry xD
Arius can list a number of such times..... But currently he is happy wearing pants instead of a dress.

 

I am an odd case. I've played with my toys since I was a kid, inventing stories and worlds around them with each having their own personalities. To me, it's no different than obsessing with a book or movie world, and it's something I enjoy. My dolls are based on story characters and not the other way around, so I am already very attached to them when they're first bought.

I've been watching davecat's antics ever since I saw him in the Guys and Dolls documentary on youtube. There's something sad about him feeling married to a doll. I don't think I can understand his mindset, but I don't feel like he's wrong. He's not hurting anybody except maybe disappointing his family, but they don't have a right to make choices for him. He's an adult.

I don't feel addicted to bjds. If anything, I am addicted to fantasy/imaginary worlds. I also have an evil bear, but that's besides the point on this forum. :P

 

Pitifully, I'm addicted with the whole meaning of this word...
Now I'm collecting for my new doll, and I gave up a lot of things to save more money and to buy her sooner. Though I think hobby is a hobby and you shouldn't sacrifice previous to you sings for a new doll-wig or other

 

I didn't see that one but I did see the one with the Ventriloquist.

She would NOT speak to anyone directly...it had to be through her puppet. She carried these puppets in a trunk everywhere and it wasn't like she was a little girl; she was almost 30.

I do worry about the people who carry their dolls everywhere...I keep Macchiato in my bag but I rarely take her out and she's a Puki, not an SD. If you haven't seen this episode I suggest you watch it on YouTube or TLC's site. I was so scared my mom would think that's me but Mom says that I have a life outside of my dolls and I can interact with people. That lady absolutely cannot.

 

I'm not addicted or obsessed with BJDs. I've been in the hobby for several years, but I only collect 1-2 dolls per year, and my work/college doesn't lend me enough time to be as involved as others are. When I was living with my parents and didn't have to pay for rent, food, or transportation, I did have a lot more time and money to buy new dolls and such. I miss it, but I also think it's more healthy for me not to spend so much time on a hobby.

 

I did see that show, too. I'm still going to argue my point with BJDs, though. Even if some one does bring their dolls everywhere with them and they are carried out in the open for everyone to see, I still wouldn't call it an addiction. We like to show our dolls off and bringing them places is just another way to do that. We put a lot of work into our dolls and like to show them off. In a way it's more of a conversation starter than a way to avoid talking to people directly. I think most of us who bring are dolls places are ready to talk about them since we know people will ask questions, but that lady used her puppets to avoid directly talking to people.

 

Though, you have to be careful when judging the motives of people you don't know. Carrying around a doll might be considered unusual or eccentric, but that doesn't automatically equal crazy or an addiction. It seems that any behavior that is at all out of the ordinary is automatically considered reason for major concern, yet, people are all different and enjoy different things. Some people like having their dolls with them and are not uncomfortable with any attention that it draws -- or they might have some specific reason for having the doll with them (taking pics, checking scale with possible props and clothes, wanting to show it to someone etc).

If someone isn't using the doll as a kind of emotional crutch and it's not causing issues being out and about, then I don't see why it should be worrisome. To each there own and all that.

I would agree with that -- if you're trying to avoid interacting with other people, having a doll with you is not a good way to do that. Me and a friend had some dolls with us at a hobby store once and we ended up talking to a guy who makes historical shoes for re-enactments and another lady who collects dolls (though not abjds). Having a doll with you tends to attract at least a few curious individuals who want to ask questions or chat.

 

I happen to love eccentric people, and think that the current trend of TV shows making fun of them is distasteful and low-class. It only serves to enforce the shaky self-image of the rest of the audience, to allow them to convince themselves that they're 'normal' and therefore OK. Same reason anybody likes watching any reality shows-- when the centerpiece of the show is ridicule for this-or-that odd trait, it elevates mediocrity into a desirable thing. (Which I personally find really distasteful.)

Why would the size matter? If a doll is being carried everywhere in a bag, regardless of size or how often it comes out of the bag, then its owner is a "person who carries their doll everywhere".

 

I don't really see a problem even if it is an emotional crutch. If they aren't hurting anybody and it makes them feel better/able to function, why not?

Carrying a doll around could be anything from wanting to appear different from the mainstream, to comfort/company, to wanting to shop for appropriate scale items, to photoshoots, to showing solidarity with others in the hobby . . . I don't think it qualifies as a measurement of addiction in and of itself. I just don't happen to carry one around in public because I like keeping my hobby life private.

 

Yes, if carrying a doll around or doing things with or for their doll helps someone to relieve stress and keeps them from snapping and going to work and killing everyone in sight, then please please please carry your doll, the alternative would not be pretty. (Extreme example I know)

But that aside hobbies are meant to be enjoyable. And some people have a lot of hobbies and some people only have one. So if someone only has say one major hobby it may seem like they're obsessed or addicted when in fact they probably spend just as much time in that one hobby as some may spend in the ten or more they may have. And hobbies can actually help someone to branch out if they so wanted to. So even if someone may do something that may seem excessive or eccentric to others I wouldn't necessarily call it an addiction. Different people do different things, so if it works for you, do it.

Besides many people have certain quirks, just because it may be more main stream, doesn't make it any less..."obsessive".

 

This bears repeating for extra special emphasis. I keep hoping this trend reverses, but I doubt it will for quite some time. A number of the things it was 'acceptable' to mock, belittle, or bully people over have become socially inappropriate (thank goodness), so it seems like there's a need to find something new to target.

 

I'm really not sure I agree with that. For one, what even is a BJD addiction? Is it an addiction to buying them? Or just handling them etc? There are so many aspects to the hobby, and addictions kind of have to focus on specific activities with some kind of payoff for the addict.

A large part of this hobby is, in fact, shopping. So it's not surprising that people are always buying things or talking about buying things. That doesn't mean they're doing it every day. Nobody buys EVERY LE that comes out. And if they did because they could afford to do so, that's still not proof that they CAN'T stop. We often talk like we can't stop ourselves, but I doubt many people in the hobby are truly unable to stop themselves from pushing the buy button.

One measure of addiction I heard from a psychiatrist friend was how soon after you wake you do said thing. A lot of people are addicted to coffee, and promptly have a cup. I turn on the computer first thing, whether I need to do work on it or not. I habitually come to DoA, often before any other sites, so I believe I'm addicted to hanging out on this forum.

I think there are people with difficulty controlling their own spending *coughthatwouldbemecough* in the hobby, but an addiction specifically to dolls I think is probably far rarer.

 

What about compulsive doll-buying as, say, the specific focus of a shopping addiction?

 

Though I certainly fall under the heading of 'have a pile of them and whimper at many LE releases, and buy a lot of LEs', I can safely say: I'm not addicted.

No, that isn't sad, pathetic denial. What it is? I'm a workaholic. I know what I go through when I can't work, even if it is for a space of more than 2 waking hours at a stretch. That's addictive behavior. Having a clear example of a purely psychological addiction in my life to compare to... nope. Not addicted to dolls or to shopping. (Browsing for random shiny things is more likely -- but that doesn't inherently include spending, and covers a fairly vast breadth of hobbies and shiny thing categories as well as travel and going to gardens/museums/etc.)

 

Those sound like healthy avenues of self-soothing (not that I'm an expert or anything).

 

Yeah, exactly. The 'addiction' is so broad as to become meaningless. "I like to look at appealing things in idle moments." Well, who doesn't? (Their own definition of 'appealing', of course. )

 

So the word "addiction" gets dumbed down to "really likes a lot", sort of like "decadent" gets dumbed down to "really quite tasty".

My own addiction was tobacco, so it's really my only (strictly personal) point of comparison. If a person deprived of their dolls/a specific doll/an aspect of doll ownership a) falls to pieces, b) becomes completely impossible to live with, and c) is consumed by thoughts of getting back their dolls/a specific doll/an aspect of doll ownership, then, okay ... might be addicted.

 

Well...

Hi, Im cyberspacegirl and i have to admit, i think in my early days of BJD i did have a problem.
I have had a period of maybe 2-3 weeks around sept 2006 in which i could not and would not think about anything other than BJD.
Every minute i was not actively engaged in something, my mind would drift to the dolls. (This is 2006 we r speaking off, at that time calling them "dolls" was still a bit of a sin. Never understood why, but there where a lot of people at that time getting really, really cross if you admitted they where in fact, dolls).

Never had any problems keeping my social life up, never had financial problems or work problems though. O my, thats a lie! I ate beans for three days after severe spending, also in the same period!

Somehow after a couple of weeks i snapped out of it.

Kind of felt more obsessive compulsive than addicted though.