Well it was not my intent to insult anyone. So perhaps my choice of words was poor in using hyperbole to make an overly sweeping statement.
I asked ChatGPT “is collecting things the sign of a disturbed mind” and here is what it responded (I assume there’s no SDMB policy against posting quotes from AI?):
" No — collecting things is not inherently a sign of a disturbed mind. In fact, collecting is extremely common and usually psychologically healthy. What matters is how and why someone collects.
Here’s the realistic breakdown:
Normal, healthy collecting
Most collectors fall into this category. Collecting can serve positive psychological functions:
- Identity & meaning — expressing interests (art, watches, games, memorabilia, books, etc.)
- Mastery & expertise — learning deeply about a niche
- Memory & nostalgia — connecting to experiences or eras
- Organization & control — creating order or narrative around objects
- Social connection — communities, trading, discussion
Many highly analytical or high-performing people collect things because they enjoy systems, curation, or optimization — which actually fits with traits like curiosity and pattern recognition.
When collecting can become unhealthy
Collecting crosses into potential concern when it becomes:
- Compulsive — strong anxiety if unable to acquire items
- Uncontrolled accumulation — clutter overwhelms living space
- Financially harmful — spending beyond means or hiding purchases
- Emotionally avoidant — using acquisition to cope with distress without addressing underlying issues
- Functionally impairing — affecting relationships, safety, or daily functioning
At the extreme end, this might resemble hoarding disorder, but that’s very different from structured collecting.
Key difference: collecting vs hoarding
Healthy collectors:
- curate selectively
- maintain organization
- feel pride in the collection
- can sell or part with items (even if reluctant)
Hoarding patterns:
- difficulty discarding anything
- items pile up without organization
- distress tied to discarding
- impaired living space
Interesting psychological note
Humans are natural “collectors.” Evolutionarily, gathering and categorizing resources had survival value. Modern collecting taps into similar reward systems (completion, rarity, discovery).
If you want, I can also tell you:
- The psychological profiles of different collector types (which is surprisingly fascinating), or
- The subtle signs that distinguish passionate collecting vs avoidance behavior — which is where the real nuance is."
So there you have it. I unfairly lumped all collectors into the “unhealthy” category.