When does a hobby turn obsessive?

[Whright]

You have eyes and legs, yet you pay for a spotter and a golf cart.

 

[W@P]

As with everything in life, I guess you can decide how much you want to spend on a hobby. Generally, there are entry levels that can change quite quickly to top-end stuff.

I am a firm believer in buy once, cry once. If you can afford it.
For instance, with my Hi-Fi journey, I started at the bottom and gradually started upgrading components.
Some other things I decided to go balls deep and get the proper stuff from the get-go and be done with it. I am not a fan of buying twice when I know I should have gotten the right stuff the first time around.

When you ran out of space in your home, when you maxed out your credit card. When you ran out of space in your multiple gun safes.

I am also there now. When it comes to gun safes, you always buy the biggest you can get atm. They fill up quickly.

 

[Baxteen]

Not a hobby. Cancer and god knows what else inducing, disgusting habit. Seek help

nah I am good.
but I am always happy to see people fall for propeganda by big tobacco.
now I am not claiming its healty, not even a little. I smoked for 20+ years. I can tell you that since I quit smoking and started vaping I have seen the health benefits. and I still get nicotine.

addiction is a strange thing dude. and I can say that, my history is no secret and has been shared on this forum in the past.

harm reduction is harm reduction, vaping is healthier than smoking. sure not vaping or smoking is even more healthy. and while I would never pressure someone into having their first smoke, or even a drag of a vape when they do not smoke or vape, I will always try and convince a smoker to try vaping. but you and your attitude to the world? if you smoke, please keep smoking never start vaping.

 

[Foxhound5366]

nah I am good.
but I am always happy to see people fall for propeganda by big tobacco.
now I am not claiming its healty, not even a little. I smoked for 20+ years. I can tell you that since I quit smoking and started vaping I have seen the health benefits. and I still get nicotine.

addiction is a strange thing dude. and I can say that, my history is no secret and has been shared on this forum in the past.

harm reduction is harm reduction, vaping is healthier than smoking. sure not vaping or smoking is even more healthy. and while I would never pressure someone into having their first smoke, or even a drag of a vape when they do not smoke or vape, I will always try and convince a smoker to try vaping. but you and your attitude to the world? if you smoke, please keep smoking never start vaping.

Don't worry Baksteen, trolls gonna be trolls. I salute you for embracing harm reduction, and would certainly support you if you ever decide to quit cold turkey. My grandfather smoked most of his life until he was diagnosed with emphysema in his 70s and told he either stopped or died. He stopped (and lived up to 85). I was just a kid at the time so can't remember any aspects of that ... one day the cigarettes and pipes were there, and one day they weren't. I salute him for that too. It was enough of a warning sign for me to never even experiment with the habit.

 

[Baxteen]

Don't worry Baksteen, trolls gonna be trolls. I salute you for embracing harm reduction, and would certainly support you if you ever decide to quit cold turkey. My grandfather smoked most of his life until he was diagnosed with emphysema in his 70s and told he either stopped or died. He stopped (and lived up to 85). I was just a kid at the time so can't remember any aspects of that ... one day the cigarettes and pipes were there, and one day they weren't. I salute him for that too. It was enough of a warning sign for me to never even experiment with the habit.

I have quit cold turkey a few times. 2012 lasted 8 months. on holiday with the in laws, mother in law made the father in law stop, walked into the garage, bought me and my wife a box of smokes, and told us to have a smoke to calm down for her sanity lol.

2022 I quit for a year so my wife could have surgery. I quit using Vuze, it worked. but the week of the surgery life got too crazy and I went back to Vuze, that lead to my first vape. sure I started vaping, but I did not go back to smokes. wife went back to smokes after her surgery was over, and is still smoking, despite my efforts to get her to vape instead.

I just hope that less and less people start smoking now. ideally even never start vaping or using any nicotine at all. wont happen, but the fewer people who start the better for the world.

 

[Foxhound5366]

I have quit cold turkey a few times. 2012 lasted 8 months. on holiday with the in laws, mother in law made the father in law stop, walked into the garage, bought me and my wife a box of smokes, and told us to have a smoke to calm down for her sanity lol.

2022 I quit for a year so my wife could have surgery. I quit using Vuze, it worked. but the week of the surgery life got too crazy and I went back to Vuze, that lead to my first vape. sure I started vaping, but I did not go back to smokes. wife went back to smokes after her surgery was over, and is still smoking, despite my efforts to get her to vape instead.

I just hope that less and less people start smoking now. ideally even never start vaping or using any nicotine at all. wont happen, but the fewer people who start the better for the world.

Next time you decide to quit, let me know. I'll help you get it to stick. Good luck!

 

[Scary_Turtle]

A hobby becomes obsessive when you set a goal for a race haha.

I really enjoy running have been doing it for years but when I said I am doing a marathon and finishing in 3h45m then it became obsessive. Training before/after work, weekends with 3+ hour runs, running with a limp because you are injured, looking like a cancer patient and always tired. Felt like I had a job after my job.

Also know a couple of guys in there 40s that have been playing games obsessively since there teens. Still spend all Fri/Sat playing wow till 3am. None of them achieved very much with their lives.

I know how to not get obsessive, have too many hobbies then you battle to keep up with any of them. I cycle, run, code, board game, play games, LEGO, rugby, paddle, study, gym, read, guitar and cook. Finding the time for all that on a regular basis is a mission.

 

[TrueSeeker]

FOMO meets YOLO.

 

[Foxhound5366]

A hobby becomes obsessive when you set a goal for a race haha.

I really enjoy running have been doing it for years but when I said I am doing a marathon and finishing in 3h45m then it became obsessive. Training before/after work, weekends with 3+ hour runs, running with a limp because you are injured, looking like a cancer patient and always tired. Felt like I had a job after my job.

Also know a couple of guys in there 40s that have been playing games obsessively since there teens. Still spend all Fri/Sat playing wow till 3am. None of them achieved very much with their lives.

I know how to not get obsessive, have too many hobbies then you battle to keep up with any of them. I cycle, run, code, board game, play games, LEGO, rugby, paddle, study, gym, read, guitar and cook. Finding the time for all that on a regular basis is a mission.

Some might say you're trying to hard to not be classed as a gamer, and could really do with a couple fewer hobbies and maybe a nice relaxing computer game

FOMO meets YOLO.

View attachment 1907617

Great summary. I definitely think this thread is exposing a good deal of inner turmoil. Nice to at least talk about it for a change.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Coffee machine and technique upgrades

I've reached my happy place with this and don't feel the need to buy anything more unless something breaks.

Rancilio Silvia with PID
Timemore single dose grinder
Precision baskets
Various tools like tamp, distribution tool and puck screens.

Had this setup for a few years now and don't feel the need to upgrade anything.

I think sometimes you do actually reach a point where you're actually happy with what you have

 

[Scary_Turtle]

Some might say you're trying to hard to not be classed as a gamer, and could really do with a couple fewer hobbies and maybe a nice relaxing computer game

Great summary. I definitely think this thread is exposing a good deal of inner turmoil. Nice to at least talk about it for a change.

I play games just not obsessively, taken me like 5 months to work my way through Kingdom Come Deliverance. I probably spend more money/time on board games though, host a board game evening at least one evening a month or do a board game weekend away every now and then.

The guys I am talking about are playing WoW at 3am on a Tuesday while I am doing one of the maybe 6 all nighters for work in a year. Failed degrees because of gaming and now are battling financially because of those choices.

 

[Binary_Bark]

From an Au‑ADHD point of view, the line between hobby and obsession gets crossed very quickly. We often invest heavily, time, money, and mental energy, learning and perfecting something, only for the interest to vanish. And you end up with another expensive dust collector.

 

[aleksandar]

From an Au‑ADHD point of view, the line between hobby and obsession gets crossed very quickly. We often invest heavily, time, money, and mental energy, learning and perfecting something, only for the interest to vanish. And you end up with another expensive dust collector.

Why are you talking about me?!
I must say I'm getting bit better with making decisions what is worthwhile to buy.

 

[The_ONE]

I would say your obsession process started the first time you needed to upgrade something and it was more important than your car repair.

I've tried a few hobbies. All the outdoor ones fizzled away even RC cars.

I liked the audiophile stuff, but it stopped when I realised I'm never gonna be able to hear the pin drop at the back of the studio and don't want to spend a mil to hear it at any cost.

Aquariums stuck, though I really wish I could stop that one. I've tried many times. I always restart. I am horrible and very lazy at it but love it. I even like the crap looking algae.

I tried car sound, but that got boring and very expensive when I tried veering towards SQ.

I tried woodworking, but much like collecting the tools and never using them, I also love saying I have that tool.

I tried electronics too, it requires you to sit at one place for too long and only for it not to work and everything pops.

Tried hiking( is that a hobby ), People are let downs, I don't want to be walking alone either and it's cold FOK.

I'm not gonna run down the list, but yeah, I tried many. I love that I've tried, I've learnt a lot, **** that I have a bad memory gland

 

[No this is Patrick]

I liked the audiophile stuff, but it stopped when I realised I'm never gonna be able to hear the pin drop at the back of the studio and don't want to spend a mil to hear it at any cost.

Boy have I got some news for you Smoke a fat joint and your listening experience will massively improve even on a modest system. This is the only reason I use pot. Audiophile stuff.

I tried woodworking, but much like collecting the tools and never using them, I also love saying I have that tool.

Actually, there are 2 reasons...

Tried hiking

Okay. I think my hobby is pot smoking and the rest of the items on your list are just things I thoroughly enjoy while blasted on the good stuff.

 

[konfab]

Not a single person in this thread has mentioned horses, because horses are only for the absolute batshyte insane. They are the endgame of all hobbies.

 

[airborne]

Not a single person in this thread has mentioned horses, because horses are only for the absolute batshyte insane. They are the endgame of all hobbies.

Indeed it's a rich man's pastime but I see some pretty average looking folk with kids doing it, maybe they just hide their wealth well. Food and stabling your horse can easily hit R10-20k pm and having a relatively minor illness can set you back R20k on the trot, then it gets worse and it’s another R40k but it doesn't get better and then the poor thing needs to get put down and the body disposed of, sorry for your loss that'll be another R8k.

 

[konfab]

Indeed it's a rich man's pastime but I see some pretty average looking folk with kids doing it, maybe they just hide their wealth well. Food and stabling your horse can easily hit R10-20k pm and having a relatively minor illness can set you back R20k on the trot, then it gets worse and it’s another R40k but it doesn't get better and then the poor thing needs to get put down and the body disposed of, sorry for your loss that'll be another R8k.

The average people in "normal" cars are the ones with the ones with the obsession. They are the ones who likely are not going to the doctor because they cannot afford R500 as the last horse vet bill wiped out their savings.

The ultra rich people are not obsessed with it because they can buy their way out of all the problems.

 

[PaulKempTheSecond]

Indeed it's a rich man's pastime but I see some pretty average looking folk with kids doing it, maybe they just hide their wealth well. Food and stabling your horse can easily hit R10-20k pm and having a relatively minor illness can set you back R20k on the trot, then it gets worse and it’s another R40k but it doesn't get better and then the poor thing needs to get put down and the body disposed of, sorry for your loss that'll be another R8k.

Average folk half bait “their” ponies which isn’t crazy money. No more than any other hobby costs.

 

[The_ONE]

Boy have I got some news for you Smoke a fat joint and your listening experience will massively improve even on a modest system. This is the only reason I use pot. Audiophile stuff.


Actually, there are 2 reasons...


Okay. I think my hobby is pot smoking and the rest of the items on your list are just things I thoroughly enjoy while blasted on the good stuff.

Ah, you sir are not from this here pastures.

If you know me, you know I am seldomly of clear mind when I am here.

So now I am more depressed. I couldn't taste the music