Latest / Collectors MD Features / #10: When Collecting Turns Into Addiction | ediSportscards

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#10: When Collecting Turns Into Addiction | ediSportscards · Collectors MD Features

0:00
What happens when your collecting turns into
0:03
an addiction? This might be the most important
0:06
video episode that I've ever done on this channel.
0:10
And so I hope that everybody that's following
0:12
is going to listen to the entire interview that
0:15
I do with Alyx Effron from CollectorsMD. Now,
0:19
if you don't know who that is, he just did a
0:22
podcast episode with Geoff Wilson on The Geoff
0:24
Wilson Show. CollectorsMD is all about support
0:28
for people that are dealing with either collection
0:31
addiction, gambling addiction, or you're just
0:36
out of control with how many breaks or packs
0:39
or boxes you're buying, and you've lost the fun
0:42
out of collecting. All of these cards, they don't
0:46
really mean anything unless you give them meaning.
0:49
Otherwise, they're just cardboard. They're just
0:52
photos of men, and we know that. This hobby can
0:56
be fun, but there's also a danger. And so that's
1:00
why I hope that you will pay attention to this
1:02
interview, because if this changes anyone's life,
1:06
then it was well worth it. Here's the interview
1:09
with Alyx Efron. What do you see as the big problem
1:14
right now with the hobby? Right. So the biggest
1:19
problem in the hobby right now is that line between
1:21
collecting and... Gambling is just completely
1:25
blurred, right? There are a handful of things
1:29
that are contributing to this, first and foremost
1:32
being the break culture and chase mentality that's
1:36
been sort of established by influencers, the
1:40
manufacturers, the platforms. Instead of building
1:44
collections, right, like we used to, many people
1:47
are just hooked on high risk, casino -like environments
1:51
where the focus is just... all about ripping
1:53
packs, chasing short printed hits, flipping cards
1:57
as fast as they possibly can for a quick profit,
2:00
right? It conditions people, especially kids
2:04
and new individuals that are just joining the
2:07
hobby. And so to believe the hobby is all about
2:11
odds and outcomes rather than meaning and joy
2:15
is a dangerous thing. And so... There's also
2:20
the predatory platforms and the lack of regulation,
2:23
the apps, the breakers, even major companies
2:27
like, you know, Fanatics and Panini. A lot of
2:30
these conglomerates have really leaned into this
2:33
gambling -like model without real consumer protections,
2:36
right? So there are no grills. The truth is,
2:40
unfortunately, that's the only way they can make
2:43
billions of dollars if they don't lean into this.
2:48
From your perspective, how did this affect you
2:51
personally for you to go, you know what? I've
2:55
got to do something. Right. Yeah. I mean, I just
2:59
want to, you know, sign up kind of. close my
3:03
thought on because i want to set that foundation
3:05
because there are a few other things to touch
3:08
on there um you know i think the the predatory
3:11
platforms and the lack of regulation specifically
3:14
as it pertains to guardrails accountability transparency
3:17
odds fairness or even how you know just money
3:22
is handled in general all of this is sort of
3:25
being done very, very recklessly. Right. And
3:29
so this all leads to. And I want to agree with
3:31
you on that. And I actually let me let me make
3:34
it clearer for my audience and anybody that actually
3:37
watches this. Everything you're saying is absolutely
3:40
true. Anybody that's watching this, everything
3:42
that he is saying is absolutely true. What we
3:45
also need to be aware of, which is the reason
3:47
why I wanted you on, is there's never going to
3:50
be regulation. This is going to be a completely
3:52
unregulated. You are going to be susceptible.
3:57
The people who make these cards want to turn
4:01
you into gamblers. They want you to be addicted.
4:04
That's their goal. This is way worse than cigarettes.
4:08
This is predatory. They want to be predatory.
4:12
They're using psychology against you. Therefore,
4:15
that's why I think what you're doing is so important
4:19
because we are all. Completely exposed and no
4:24
one is ever going to save us or help us or provide
4:28
us with any support. We are on our own. Right.
4:31
So that's why I think what you're doing is so
4:35
important because we don't take care of ourselves.
4:39
We're in trouble. Right. right so everything
4:42
that i'm talking about it's leading to things
4:44
like financial and emotional fallout right collectors
4:48
are just getting pulled into these cycles where
4:50
they're overspending they're just constantly
4:52
chasing losses and they're they're really comparing
4:55
themselves to others especially the influencers
4:57
and the the youtubers and the big breakers who
5:01
are just constantly creating these highlight
5:03
reels and um you know hits of the day and things
5:07
like that and so You know, people are just losing
5:10
themselves. It leads to debt. It leads to stress,
5:12
shame. In some cases, you know, just exiting
5:15
the hobby altogether because it stops being fun.
5:18
And so there's this sort of lost culture of collecting.
5:21
And the emphasis on the hits and the comps is
5:25
just, you know, taking over the original spirit,
5:27
which was connection, nostalgia, personal meaning,
5:32
community. You know, collectors are now made
5:34
to feel. If they're losing, if they don't pull
5:38
that monster, that case hit, that lottery ticket,
5:43
it's game over. When in reality, there should
5:46
be no losing if you're collecting with intention,
5:49
which is our mantra, what we always say. So at
5:52
its core, the problem is in the ecosystem. that
5:56
is designed to exploit impulse rather than nurture
5:59
passion, right? So that's why something - And
6:02
that's by design. Again, the boxes, the new wax,
6:06
the companies themselves want all of the base
6:11
cards to be worthless so that you don't want
6:14
them, so you don't collect. They want you to
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chase after gambling. so that you're going after
6:22
the numbered cards, the patch cards, the RPAs,
6:25
the one -on -ones, and the odds and the lottery
6:27
and the sweepstakes aspect of all this. That's
6:30
what they want. Exactly. And I appreciate you
6:33
giving me the opportunity to sort of lay that
6:36
foundation so I can sort of segue into why CollectorsMD
6:40
exists, why we matter. And so it's sort of to
6:43
recenter the hobby on support, sustainability,
6:46
and purpose. So the reason... you know, we started
6:51
Collectors MD is because, you know, I saw something
6:54
that was missing, something that was dangerous
6:57
in the hobby. And, you know, I've been in the
6:58
hobby long enough now where I've gathered my
7:02
own personal sort of opinions and based on my
7:06
lived experience. And so, you know, I went through
7:09
the cycle myself, collecting turned into just
7:13
this compulsive ripping, ripping turned into.
7:17
more chasing, chasing turned into financial and
7:20
emotional fallout. And so I saw firsthand, I
7:23
know firsthand what it feels like to lose that
7:27
sense of control, to feel that pull of, you know,
7:30
just one more box, just one more rip and the
7:34
shame that follows and the regret that you feel
7:36
the next day. And that experience, you know,
7:38
just really gave me a lot of clarity, right?
7:41
So I feel strongly that the hobby needed a space.
7:45
where people could talk openly about all of this
7:49
without judgment. So I honestly, and I think
7:53
that's, that's what I hope my audience. So I
7:57
created this channel to, to do what you're talking
8:00
about. I don't, I don't know how to do what you
8:03
guys did. And I think it's great. And I want
8:06
to actually talk about like what actually happens
8:09
in the group. So people feel more safe to go,
8:12
you know what, I should check this out. But,
8:15
My story, and I've got now close to 300 videos
8:19
talking about the problems with... the hobby
8:23
and how to psychologically and mentally put yourself
8:27
in a better mindset. I happen to, I don't have
8:30
the addiction problem, although I did see the
8:33
sports car dad actually admitted. And I, I thought
8:38
that was amazing. That was, it's his most viral
8:40
video that he, he admitted, I have an addiction
8:44
problem and he almost destroyed his whole family
8:48
over. A lot of people have. Yep. And I've seen
8:51
Reddit posts as well where people have gone way
8:54
too far into this. And every time I see people
8:57
at card shows and they ask me, they're like,
8:59
you know, if I'm spending money, like what should
9:01
I? And I'm like, first of all, stop, stop buying.
9:04
Just first of all, just stop. I think you got
9:08
to get a handle on it and mindset. I'm the son
9:11
of a card hoarder. So I had 8 million cards by
9:15
1991. I've been in this hobby for 40 years. Right.
9:18
I saw and I saw your video that you shared with
9:21
me about, you know, son of a card hoarder. And
9:24
I think that was really well done and well articulated.
9:28
And I think, Doc, you're doing a fantastic job
9:31
of spreading the message and putting this out
9:33
there because the conversation. These conversations
9:38
have been happening sort of behind closed doors,
9:42
behind the scenes, and it hasn't been brought
9:44
to the forefront. There's been no pressure applied
9:46
to. the conglomerates until now. And so that's
9:51
what we're trying to do with Collectors MD. And
9:53
I think we still have a lot of work to do and
9:57
a long way to go to get to where we want to be
10:01
and to help the number of individuals that are
10:05
going through these things that we're talking
10:09
about. They're struggling with burnout and mental
10:12
and emotional. absolutely and id depression it's
10:17
it's it's really really it's really really serious
10:20
you know this is it's it's very serious which
10:23
is why i want to get into so if somebody goes
10:26
to Collectors MD right now yeah what's the what's
10:29
the first thing they can expect and and how because
10:35
again the most important thing i think right
10:37
now Long term is dealing with the manufacturers,
10:41
dealing with them and breakers. And but for right
10:45
now, people who are anyone who is even if you
10:49
don't even admit that you have an addiction issue,
10:52
maybe you're just spending a little too much
10:54
money and you're like, why am I doing this? Go
10:57
to CollectorsMD. What's the first thing they
11:00
can expect from the website? Yeah. So if someone
11:04
were to. be introduced to CollectorsMD right
11:07
now with, you know, no knowledge or understanding
11:11
of what we are and what we're doing, here's what
11:14
it would feel like straight up. No corporate
11:16
fluff, just, you know, straight up from a new
11:19
member that we're introducing into our community.
11:21
They'd find a real community of collectors who
11:24
get it. People who have felt the same pull of
11:27
ripping packs late at night, the same pit in
11:30
the stomach after overspending, the same guilt
11:33
of hiding packages from family, all these things
11:35
we've all done, right? Not you, Doc. I know you
11:39
mentioned that you don't have the problem of
11:42
addiction, which is great, but the fact that
11:44
you are - I have the problem of getting rid of
11:47
stuff. Yeah, I just, I hoard it. I have problems
11:51
getting rid of it, although I've gotten rid of
11:53
seven and a half million cards over the last
11:55
decade. That's incredibly impressive. It's also
12:00
staggering. I mean, I've probably sold, handled,
12:05
bought, you know, whatever the case may be, millions
12:09
of cards over the last five years or so. you
12:13
know, to be able to track that is really interesting.
12:16
So anyway, the real difference with CollectorsMD
12:19
is you don't have to explain yourself. Everyone
12:22
already understands. And so we run weekly peer
12:25
support meetings every Wednesday night. That's
12:27
something we would introduce, you know, this
12:29
individual to. Video is optional. You can share
12:33
what's on your mind or you can just sit back,
12:35
listen and realize that you're not alone. Nobody's
12:38
keeping score. It's not therapy. I'm not a licensed
12:40
therapist or a doctor. It's just merely support.
12:44
And sometimes support means being in the room
12:47
while others tell the stories you've been too
12:49
afraid to admit out loud. We always say you have
12:52
to heal in community. We have to heal in community.
12:55
We can't heal by ourselves. We also put out content.
12:58
So we have daily reflections, which are essentially
13:01
quick journal entries. They're quick reads that
13:03
feel like, you know, a reset button for your
13:07
mindset, things you can carry with you when the
13:09
urge to rip comes up or when you need a reminder
13:12
that collecting can and should be intentional,
13:15
not compulsive. We also have a daily group chat,
13:18
which is extremely active. 40 plus members now.
13:23
These folks are encouraging each other. They're
13:25
sharing their wins. They're venting over their
13:28
setbacks, which, you know, relapse is a huge
13:31
part of the journey. And we we get that. We accept
13:35
that. And, you know, we we are are with those
13:38
people, you know, or they're just being there
13:41
in real time when someone needs to be talked
13:43
down from buying into that next break. It's a
13:46
really great. That's that's great. It's great.
13:52
And hopefully. Yeah. And hopefully everybody
13:56
that's that's listening right now and just one,
14:00
you're very sincere. You're very you're very
14:02
passionate about this and you're you're being
14:04
honest. But honesty is where I come from. I created
14:11
this whole channel and everything I put out is
14:14
just about honesty. Whether people like it or
14:17
not, it's just raw and honest. What you're doing
14:20
is about that. Which is why when I saw you on
14:25
Geoff Wilson's show, I went, I need to talk to
14:28
him. I appreciate you reaching out. And I understood
14:34
what you're trying to do with Geoff, but he runs
14:37
a business and he can't make money unless gambling
14:41
exists. Well, there is something to be said there.
14:48
And there is one last thing I want to mention
14:50
regarding CollectorsMD. That's really important,
14:53
a key takeaway. We're here to tell you. you know,
14:57
we're not here to tell you to quit collecting.
14:59
We don't want to cancel the hobby or cancel break
15:02
culture altogether. CollectorsMD is simply here
15:05
to remind you why you started and it's to make
15:09
sure the hobby feels like joy, which is what
15:13
it should be, not a burden, right? Not a nuisance.
15:16
And sometimes the first step is just showing
15:18
up. So with that being said, go ahead. No, I
15:21
appreciate that message. It's so important. And
15:24
so here's what I would, like if possible so what
15:29
i think i hope that everyone who is even on the
15:35
margin if you're just like you know what i'm
15:38
just i'm just not in control of how much i spend
15:41
or i go to the store i see the box and i'm like
15:44
oh i should get that box join collectors md only
15:49
because i think The reset, the mindset, the mentality
15:54
of being in control of what you decide to do
15:58
is so important. And I'm glad that you said that
16:02
because it's not about getting rid of the hobby.
16:04
It's not about and it's not about complaining
16:06
either. It's about doing things with intention.
16:10
I want to buy a box because I want to buy the
16:13
box, not because I'm chasing, not because I want
16:17
the hit. I try to communicate these ideas to
16:22
my audience that you really should, if you buy
16:25
a box, a modern box, you should know at going
16:28
in, you're never going to get a hit. Just buy
16:32
the box because you want the cards. Right. Yeah,
16:35
that's really well said. I think a lot of people
16:38
go into it with a mindset where they just want
16:41
that big hit. Obviously, they want the card that's
16:45
going to help. paver the box and then some, but
16:47
they also want the acceptance and the acknowledgement
16:50
of the breaker and the chat and the camaraderie
16:54
that comes with this culture. And a lot of those
16:57
people might not even realize that's what they're
16:59
subconsciously looking for. Validation. And CollectorsMD,
17:05
because it's a community, you will get that same
17:09
feeling without losing all your money. That's
17:12
a great point, Doc. I appreciate you saying that.
17:14
I do want to quickly go back to what you brought
17:18
up about Geoff Wilson and Fanatics and Whatnot
17:22
and all these companies that are ultimately in
17:26
it for revenue, right? And I personally believe
17:32
that the hobby can coexist with gambling -like
17:36
mechanics, break culture, but only if it's honest.
17:40
about what's what, and if collectors are given
17:43
the tools to protect themselves. Right now, there
17:46
are no safeguards that exist. And so here's what
17:49
it would take for coexistence, two realities
17:52
to coexist for it to actually be safe. Number
17:56
one would be clear lines, okay? The industry
17:59
needs to stop blurring the language. Breaking
18:01
is gambling, and everyone knows it. label it,
18:05
regulate it, and give consumers the information
18:08
they need, the odds, the risks, the disclosures,
18:11
the warnings, the resources, so people can choose
18:16
with eyes open instead of being sold entertainment,
18:19
okay? Number two is real guardrails. Casinos
18:22
and sportsbooks have self -exclusion tools, deposit
18:26
limits, responsible play disclaimers and messaging.
18:30
Those things exist for a reason. Well, I'm gonna...
18:34
One, so here's a couple of things I want to do
18:37
at the end. So I have some background. So I have
18:40
10 years in politics as well as over 20 years
18:43
in education. And there's a whole bunch of stuff
18:46
that I would love to be able to do with your
18:49
community and group towards those back end stuff.
18:53
The first thing that you haven't even said, and
18:56
you didn't say it on Geoff Wilson's show because
18:57
I think it's sort of like an assumption. The
19:00
biggest issue is that it's illegal. For children
19:04
to gamble. Yeah. I mean, you want to talk about
19:10
it? I didn't use the word illegal, but I said
19:12
it's well, no, I actually clipped it in a video
19:15
today. Under 21, you're not allowed in a casino.
19:19
Right. But the problem is in order to make it
19:22
illegal, we need to create clear lines. We need
19:25
to like. Well, I've actually, so just to give
19:29
you, so on my channel, and I have said this a
19:32
couple of times. So again, it's not widespread
19:33
because I have, I just surpassed 2 ,500 subscribers.
19:37
So I'm not, I'm not big, but in order to have
19:41
the guardrails that you're talking about, we
19:43
need two separate types of products. We need
19:47
to go back to traditional wax, which is series
19:50
one, series two, where there are no lotteries
19:53
in there. It's just base. You can have some short
19:56
prints or inserts, but it's just it's primarily
19:59
base. And then you have higher end product, which
20:02
is your sweepstakes and your, you know, your
20:04
odds, which is so that there's a known entity,
20:08
especially for parents, that it's like this is
20:11
the kid stuff. And then this is the gambling.
20:14
This is the adult stuff. Right. Because right
20:16
now, I feel like they tried to do that. Yeah,
20:19
they've tried to do that. They've tried to create
20:22
a. A separation between hobby product and retail
20:26
product to your point. Yeah, but that's, that's,
20:30
that's called, that's, that's not a separation.
20:33
That's called making an excuse. Everybody knows
20:36
what's going on. I'm in agreement with you. I'm
20:39
just telling you like what we've, what we've
20:41
heard from. And the only way, the only way that's
20:44
ever going to happen is if we get the government
20:47
involved. That's the only way. And there are
20:50
folks in our community that are actually involved
20:52
in, you know, all sorts of, there's a case that
21:00
is currently open in, there's a class action
21:04
in California. Okay. I won't go into too much
21:07
detail, but. But I will put it this way. If you
21:10
have anybody in your community, and I'll put
21:12
this out to everybody in my community, if anybody
21:14
works in government, I can actually help you
21:17
write legislation, because that's what I used
21:20
to do, write legislation to get this into law.
21:24
And this is a win -win. There's not a politician
21:27
that would be like, yeah, we want to screw kids.
21:29
No, no, no. They're going to protect kids. The
21:31
problem is that the people who we want to reach
21:34
are not in the hobby. Politicians don't collect
21:37
cards. Politicians don't care about anything
21:40
that we're doing. This is a fringe right now,
21:43
even though Fanatics is trying to 10x the hobby,
21:46
and it has grown. But the majority of people
21:50
in the United States have no idea what we're
21:53
talking about, which is also why anybody that's
21:57
watching this, go to CollectorsMD. I'm putting
21:59
the link in the description. Go there. Join.
22:04
So it's a community where you can get the feeling
22:08
of being part of it. It's got chat. It's got
22:12
weekly sessions. It's got where you can talk
22:15
about cards without losing your shirt. You don't
22:20
have to pay money to be part of something. That's
22:24
what CollectorsMD can do. And I think this is
22:28
really positive for everybody. Again, the episode
22:32
or the video I just put out, because this will
22:35
probably go out next week. So the episode I did
22:38
a few days ago for you guys, I talked about like
22:41
the positivity in the hobby where people wanted
22:43
to be gatekeepers. We don't need gatekeepers.
22:46
What we need is support. We need people who look
22:48
out for each other. This is a team. And if we
22:51
take a team approach to it where everybody says,
22:54
hey, are you okay? Hey, it's okay. You don't
22:58
need to buy that box. Why don't you come? Why
23:01
don't you go to a session? Why don't you talk
23:03
to other collectors and other people that are
23:05
in the hobby who are like, you know what? I just
23:07
I spent a thousand dollars. Why did I do that?
23:10
And one of the things that I try and, you know,
23:14
I'm certainly I'm open to doing. I don't know
23:17
if you do guest spots within the community, but
23:19
I like to at least people understand that. Just
23:23
look at the dollar amount. If you buy two blasters
23:27
at retail. That's 50 bucks. If you just took
23:32
that $50 and bought the one or two cards you
23:35
want, you'd be so much happier and you wouldn't
23:40
have wasted your money. Of course. But people
23:42
want the thrill of the chase. That's what they're
23:44
seeking. And that's what they - Well, that's
23:46
the addiction. It's the old wax. Right. That's
23:48
the addiction. Right. If you look at it black
23:50
and white, of course, that makes the most sense.
23:52
People would rather hit the card than buy the
23:54
card. There's two things I want to bring up.
23:57
One, as it pertains to the legal side of the
23:59
hobby, things like regulation, gambling laws,
24:01
enforcement. That's not necessarily our lane
24:05
at Collectors MD. We advocate for those things.
24:08
But, you know, I'm not like an attorney or a
24:11
lawmaker. You know, there are advocacy groups
24:15
who are much better positioned to tackle that
24:16
fight. Our focus is a little bit different. We're
24:19
here for the collector who's hit a wall. The
24:21
person who wakes up realizing the fun has slipped
24:24
into compulsion or who feels the stress of, you
24:27
know, overspending and hiding packages from loved
24:29
ones, all the things we talk about. We're not
24:31
drawing up legislation. We're not, you know,
24:33
we're just trying to help people reset, find
24:36
accountability, find healthier habits right now.
24:39
The legal and structured or structural reform.
24:43
conversations are really important and we welcome
24:46
others to lead them. But CollectorsMD exists
24:48
for the human side, for recovery, support and
24:51
community, because while laws might change someday,
24:54
and hopefully they do, collectors need help today.
24:57
So we can't just, you know, sit back and wait.
24:59
We need to address this head on immediately right
25:02
now. And that's what we're doing. And the other
25:04
thing I wanted to talk about is how CollectorsMD
25:07
is, you brought up a good point. You know, this
25:09
is a group effort. CollectorsMD has never been
25:11
just about me. Alyx Effron, as the face of CollectorsMD
25:15
or anything like that, you know, I'm not an egotistical
25:18
person at all. It's always been about the group.
25:22
The whole point is that it's a peer support effort.
25:25
When people come into our meetings, they aren't
25:29
walking into a lecture or listening to one person
25:31
talk to them. They're stepping into a circle
25:33
where everyone's voice matters. Where listening
25:36
is just as important as sharing. And some weeks,
25:39
you know, a member story or reflection might
25:41
hit harder than anything I could have ever written
25:44
myself. Other weeks, you know, it's the quiet
25:47
presence of someone just showing up that makes
25:49
all the difference, right? So the power of CollectorsMD
25:52
is all in the collective. It works because we're
25:55
all in it together. We're trading honesty for
25:58
honesty, accountability for accountability. So
26:01
it's not my movement. It's not my company. It's
26:04
our movement. So I want to make that really clear.
26:07
I'm glad that you said that. And so here's the
26:10
thing that I want to end with this. And again,
26:12
I appreciate all the time. I want to make sure
26:16
that anybody that's watching this, listening
26:18
to this, understands that real impact of if you
26:25
are buying packs weekly, monthly, you just have
26:31
this routine. Again, I am working on a book of
26:34
trying to help. fix the violent nature of schools.
26:38
And the problem that we have as human beings
26:41
is once we get into routine, it's very difficult
26:45
to get out of it. And what addiction does is
26:48
it creates a routine that you can't break. And
26:53
what you can, if you even feel it a little bit,
26:56
go to Collectors MD just so you know, like Alyx
27:02
said, you're not alone. You are not alone. Just
27:06
go and just be a part of it. You don't have to
27:10
say anything. You don't have to do anything.
27:12
Just know that if you do get into trouble, you
27:16
can just kind of like, all right, you know what?
27:17
I got to deal with this now. Because the last
27:21
thing, certainly that I want, and it's obviously
27:23
the reason why you started CollectorsMD, is I
27:26
don't want someone to get themselves in so deep
27:29
that they don't know what to do anymore. That's
27:32
the danger. That's the danger that I see and
27:36
I don't want. I want people to know that you're
27:39
okay. You're in this with other people. Hopefully,
27:45
hopefully you can get control over what's happening
27:48
and then bring your loved ones into this because
27:52
support needs to be more than one person. It's
27:57
not just CollectorsMD and I'm done. No, no, no.
27:59
CollectorsMD is part of a whole plan. You'll
28:03
have CollectorsMD as a community support group.
28:06
You have to then bring in some loved ones and
28:08
say, look, I'm dealing with this. And they can
28:10
then provide you with more support. But I think
28:13
that in terms of the entire. program, I think
28:16
CollectorsMD should be in everyone's conversation
28:20
as to, and even if you don't have addiction,
28:23
even if you're just somebody who's like me, who's
28:26
like, you know what, I have difficulty letting
28:28
go of stuff. I think joining makes sense because
28:32
it is about community. And this is a community
28:35
of people who love cards just like you. They're
28:38
the same as you. even if you don't have a problem.
28:42
And so therefore, if you don't, you can also
28:45
provide support to someone who does. And that
28:49
way, especially if it grows big enough, there
28:53
can be these subchapters within each state and
28:57
within each location. That's what we're working
29:00
towards. We're actually rolling out the Collectors
29:04
MD. um location in uh Colorado in the coming
29:08
weeks which is really exciting i'm actually based
29:10
in jersey so um just spreading uh presence across
29:15
the country on the west coast is just it's it's
29:18
really really uh terrific thing so i have a few
29:20
things um Doc that um i want to share uh first
29:24
of all thank you so much for the support uh truly
29:26
um you know grateful and humbled by all the kind
29:32
things that you're saying about what we're doing.
29:34
You know, one thing I want to bring up is one
29:37
of the biggest issues collectors have faced for
29:39
years, if not decades, whether it's sports cards,
29:43
Pokemon cards, or any other chase -driven collectible.
29:47
It could be sneakers. It could be watches, handbags,
29:50
NFTs, you know, digital packs or loot boxes in
29:54
gaming, right? They've all sort of felt like
29:57
when they're struggling, this sense of isolation.
30:00
People were sitting alone in their rooms, ashamed
30:04
and embarrassed to admit that what started as
30:06
a hobby had turned into something that felt more
30:08
like an addiction. They weren't just, you know,
30:11
hiding purchases from their loved ones, their
30:14
spouses, their family members. They were hiding
30:17
the truth from themselves, convinced nobody else
30:20
could possibly understand, right? That shame.
30:23
kept people quiet for far too long. And in that
30:26
silence, the cycle only got worse and worse,
30:29
especially as break culture was introduced. No
30:32
community, no accountability, no safe outlet.
30:34
It was just people struggling behind closed doors.
30:37
And trust me when I tell you, and I know you
30:39
know this, but to your audience, there are thousands
30:42
and thousands of people who have this problem.
30:46
What's changed now is that CollectorsMD exists.
30:49
The moment we built the space where people could
30:51
talk openly, something started to shift in the
30:54
hobby. Suddenly, collectors started coming out
30:57
of the woodwork. You know, people maybe you wouldn't
31:00
even expect. maybe some big -time collectors
31:03
that have a really, really strong presence and
31:06
voice in the hobby. And we're very private and
31:08
confidential, so we don't share the names of
31:12
members who join our meetings. But what I can
31:15
tell you is that there have been a handful of
31:17
people who have joined us who are well -known
31:19
in the hobby. So, you know, they come out and
31:22
they're sharing their stories for their first
31:24
time, realizing all along they weren't alone.
31:27
And the floodgates started to open, not because
31:30
the problem was new, but because finally there
31:32
was a safe, stigma -free place for people to
31:35
be honest about it. And so that's the power of
31:38
community. That's the power of today's digital
31:41
day and age, today's modern social environment.
31:47
We're able to offer things that we weren't able
31:50
to offer years ago, like a virtual meeting where
31:54
people can meet from across the world, right?
31:57
So we're proving every week that when shame breaks,
31:59
connection begins. And once people connect, recovery
32:03
can become possible. The other thing I wanted
32:05
to, sorry, go ahead. Just on one point, because
32:08
this is so key for anybody that's listening.
32:11
You said it's powerful. but that's because it's
32:16
empowering. The minute you speak or listen to
32:20
someone else that's going through something that
32:22
you are going through, it empowers you. So if
32:27
you're on the bubble, you're like, I don't know,
32:29
should I get involved or not? There's no harm
32:33
in joining. You can join, you can go, you cannot,
32:39
like it will only help. It can't hurt. There's
32:43
no catch. That's the best thing about CollectorsMD,
32:47
which is why I was like, you know what? This
32:48
is only positive if we're really talking about
32:52
positivity. What you're doing is a net positive.
32:56
There is no downside. The only downside is, like
33:00
you said, the silence and doing it in isolation.
33:04
So what you're doing is really fixing that. So
33:07
go ahead. Yeah, Doc, I appreciate it. I also
33:11
like what you said about, you know, folks who
33:13
might not have a problem or might not necessarily
33:16
be struggling with addiction can and should also
33:20
get involved. We actually talk about this quite
33:22
a bit in our meetings, in our recovery. There
33:26
are actually two main lanes and both are completely
33:29
valid and they both can coexist. For some people,
33:32
the sustainable choice is abstinence. That means
33:35
stepping away completely. No breaks. No boxes,
33:39
no apps, no buy, none of that. It's like closing
33:41
the casino door for good or sealing the bottle,
33:44
throwing it away. That's it. For these collectors,
33:47
every rip is just too risky. Every just one more
33:50
pack is just too tempting. It's too much of a
33:52
slippery slope. And so abstinence isn't about
33:54
punishment. It's about self -preservation. It's
33:57
choosing peace over constant relapse. I personally
34:00
self -excluded from gambling. In the state of
34:04
New Jersey, as well as New York and Pennsylvania,
34:06
I can't gamble on these apps anymore. And, you
34:10
know, I've found so much, you know, freedom in
34:15
that, like in that it was liberating because
34:18
I no longer feel like I'm a slave to those apps.
34:21
Now, obviously, we're talking about something
34:23
entirely different where you can't actually do
34:25
that. With that, I want to touch on. recovery
34:29
and how it looks for intentional collecting.
34:31
Maybe people like you, people who are involved
34:33
in the hobby don't necessarily have a problem,
34:36
but want to look at it through a different lens.
34:39
And that doesn't mean going back to old habits.
34:41
It means rebuilding a new relationship with the
34:43
hobby. It's all about collecting with boundaries
34:46
and purpose, focusing on cards or pieces that
34:49
carry meaning, sticking to your budget, avoiding
34:52
high risk breaking and finding joy and connection
34:55
rather than the chase. It's not quitting the
34:58
hobby. It's about reshaping it. So neither lane
35:01
is inherently better than the other. Recovery
35:04
isn't a one -size -fits -all. It's not cookie
35:06
cutter. What matters is honestly figuring out
35:09
which lane is sustainable for you, which makes
35:10
sense for you, and giving yourself permission
35:13
to choose it without shame. And so at CollectorsMD,
35:15
we respect both paths because both are about
35:19
the same thing, taking back control and rediscovering
35:22
what collecting was supposed to... feel like
35:24
in the first place. Absolutely. Alyx, I can't
35:28
begin to thank you enough for what you're doing.
35:32
Again, it's a net positive. For anybody that's
35:35
thinking about how we can make the hobby more
35:38
positive, Alyx is doing it. And if you have any
35:42
ideas on your own, like how else you could be
35:45
more supportive. First of all, join CollectorsMD.
35:49
The more, the merrier. Honestly, the bigger it
35:52
grows, the better the hobby gets because this
35:55
is a community that's going to actually help
35:58
people. And then on the back end with the larger
36:02
community, then you have influence. But at least
36:06
the community starts. from a good place. And
36:10
that's the key is right now, there is no community
36:13
that has a positive center at its core and CollectorsMD
36:18
does. So hopefully everybody is listening. Again,
36:21
Alyx, thank you so much. I really appreciate
36:24
it. yeah no of course Doc um i'm really glad
36:28
to see what you're doing and i'm glad we had
36:30
the opportunity to to connect i again apologize
36:33
for the sort of miscommunication we had in terms
36:35
of uh scheduling this but i'm really glad we
36:38
uh we got it locked in and i'm excited to uh
36:42
see the video, go live and have you share this
36:46
conversation with your audience. Because I think
36:48
it's one of the most, if not the most important
36:50
conversation that people in this space need to
36:53
be having right now. And the more that we can
36:56
spread this message and get the word out there
36:58
about what we're doing and why intentional collecting
37:02
is so incredibly important, we're going to be
37:07
able to... as a community collectively create
37:10
a healthier and more sustainable future for this
37:14
hobby that we know and love.