Do you strictly buy things you planned to, or do you also find yourself in compulsive buying, with regrets?
There´s been quite some talk that Pokémon would be about addiction. While I think there is an addictive component to it, I think it´s mostly about collecting what you like. When you find yourself wanting things that you don´t’ really like it´s time to check yourself (before… ).
Yes
And people say this place is so different from Reddit. My oh my. Still like it though.
R u ok homie
As a former alcoholic, some of the story of which I’ve shared, I see similarities, no doubt.
Time forgives most all ragrets in this hobby—unless you REALLY messed up and were just being exceptionally stupid instead of just kinda dumb or overly impulsive. To me it’s really just about opportunity cost losses (a common regret for many—both collectors and impulse pack openers or hoarders alike), or having to sell at a short term loss if you went beyond your means and could not pay your bills or get back to liquid within a reasonably short time. Lessons.
I buy stuff I wasn’t planning to buy all the time. I’m probably addicted to looking for deals and because it’s Pokémon (at least Pokémon until now), when I overpay or make a mistake, time usually forgives all. No punishment. Collection grows, I add new things that make sense to me (eg. Lower grade, low supply vintage and Japanese seems undervalued to me now along with prize cards. 2-3 years ago you could add modern sealed and grading opportunities in the mix if you stayed in the hobby long enough until now to benefit from your impulsive purchases) . Most all these options still exist. Until they don’t. Which is why you cannot be overly stupid and remain leveraged for any significant length of time.
But if you literally never sell, the stakes and keeping balance is much tougher. I don’t even try that feat anymore. The more stuff I sell that I’ve gotten bored with or have enjoyed long enough gets replaced by new stuff. My collection evolves fairly organically right along with my tastes. That’s why most old timers 
usually end up in the niches or wherever their sweet spot naturally is. I can’t think of any other hobby where this degree of forgiveness for common human weakness and making mistakes has been so graciously applied. You just need to enjoy it enough to stick around.
Well said, very well said.
On its own Id say slightly more than other franchises because of the side point that supports collecting in full.
But thats in a vacuum, once you add in other influences I think it can become impressively addicting to those who connect with it. So on its own its never going to be at the level of addiction as drugs or alcohol but it can join with other addiction traits to get really close to it. This can happen with anything that you connect with though, shopping, exercise, phones, etc.
The short answer, yes, but there is much worse. A good distinction is collecting pokemon (directly buying cards) vs pokemon used in gambling mechanisms (chance to buy cards). The latter is a newer and more serious issue. But prior, pokemon was a healthier addiction. I’ve met countless people over the years who suffered from alcoholism, drugs, actual gambling addiction, and pokemon was a major upgrade. Again I can’t overemphasize direct buying vs chance of ownership. I would also zoom out further and say the chance of ownership is a widespread problem that isn’t limited to pokemon.
I am either overbuying or ignoring the cards completely, can’t seem to find a healthy middle ground.
2018-2021 I was basically putting all my savings in cards and expanding my collection, 2021-2026 I was ignoring the cards completely and purposefully avoiding looking at all the nice looking arts, now this year the whole thing cracked and I am back to buying although at least I am also selling things I dont like or want anymore and putting that money into some sort of long-term savings rather than just inserting paycheck directly into ebay. But this last month I got way too carried away, it’s also hard because there is definitely a feeling in the air of “I don’t buy this now I’ll have to buy it x% more expensive in a month from now”, even for cheaper cards/bulk
Agreed, the pay to play opportunity cost loss of, say, buying into an expensive pack break vs buying a card for the collection is a major trap. It even includes classic peer pressure of the chat. I totally did not include this point since I’ve never engaged in the hobby in this way. This is probably the top of the beware list
It’s not addictive at all unless you’re buying packs - and then it’s like every other TCG, all of which rely on gambling as their business model.
Sometimes both, almost never regrets.
How addictive is pokemon?
Yes, mostly about the collecting addiction, and not PkMn itself. But this is where I think having clear collecting goals is helpful. Every month or so I look at new cards, I’d like to have in my mainline collections, and then that’s usually what I aim at.
I’m proud to say, I have gotten very good at not wanting things I don’t really like, whether it’s People, Profession, or Pokemon.
Its extremely addicting if you started with it from a young age especially. It becomes an actual tangible part of your life. Real life memories that could have been forming in those early years are substituted with hours of gaming, looking at cards, obsessing over favorites. I unironically feel as if though pokemon has altered my brain chemistry and left me spiritually impaired.
After diving back into the games with Yellow last year, my addiction entered the terminal stages and there’s no salvaging my situation
When I played yugioh competitively (for a blazing hot second in high school) my friend’s dad who spent a lot more money and did a fair bit better, said “I’d rather he spend all that money on cardboard crack than real crack.”
Unlike hobby addictions however, so much in society, as you allude to, is encouraging and feeding gambling addictions. It’s not the vehicles that are the problem.
Now, if “gambling addiction” is the new baseline, then @ArcticLapras , perhaps we should ask
And another thought. While there is a ton of money in gambling, look at tobacco companies. Tobacco was regulated while it was huge. So I wonder when we will see gambling apps, sites, outlets regulated, and what the powers that be will include under of that umbrella. Lootboxes? yes, already. Booster packs? Grading services? Hmmm… 
There’s a couple different points in there, so I hope they’re all complete.
For me collecting was simple. I picked up singles that I really loved and opened minimal pack numbers. Sure opening packs is fun but cutting to the chase always felt so much better. It’s a bit cliche to simply say “collect what you love” but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the best advice you can take.
Memories and nostalgia being addicting. This is something I’ve thought about a lot. I have an eidetic tactile memory, so I can remember almost exactly how things felt, and that included emotions too on the physical level…
So nostalgia is Hyper strong for me, but I’ve learned to enjoy the memory and accept that it’s gone. For years I struggled with being frequently lost in those memories and it was somewhat debilitating. Pokemon was like an anchor, and still is sometimes. Which could both keep me in the present with a taste of the past, but also drag my conscious back into it.
As someone that has an addictive personality - I am so happy that all the scalpers buy every single Pokémon product away before I can even consider going out to buy packs.
I think it’s very addictive, but also very fulfilling. I spend a lot of time looking at and thinking about my collection - I see how it could be problematic for some people but I have been able to (usually) keep myself on a budget and stay realistic with my goals. Like a few others said, there are far worse addictions to have so Pokémon as a vice is not the worst thing in the world
I would consider Pokemon and other TCGs to be highly addictive. However, the level of harm caused by Pokemon/TCGs is much lower than the level of harm from addictions to alcohol, drugs, casino gambling, etc. It is similar to compulsive shopping, where the main harm is financial.
In the U.S., we have a national hotline for mental health and substance use referrals (including addiction of any kind): SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA
SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Also visit the online treatment locator.
