By ANDRIANNA MARSTON

alm045@latech.edu

 

When it is time for pre-holiday cleaning, and one finds it hard to throw out those Beanie Babies, teddy bears, Barbie dolls or bottle caps, a severe case of collector’s syndrome may be the cause. 

Linda Griffin, director for counseling services, said just about anything can be a collectible, and there are several different reasons that drive people to start collecting certain items.

“In my opinion, there are two different kinds of collectors,” Griffin said.

The first category of collectors usually keeps things for memorabilia, Griffin said.

It is not uncommon for people to build collections that have personal meaning, and the urge to collect objects typically begins at an early age, Griffin said.

“This group keeps items related to childhood, things that represent him or her and things that express his or her personality,” Griffin said.

Stephanie Feducia, a junior studio art major, said she began her collection when she was about 11 years old.

“I started collecting jewelry because it’s pretty, and my grandmother left behind a lot of her jewelry when she passed away,” Feducia said.

Griffin said sometimes people grow out of their collecting habits, and sometimes the habit follows them for the rest of their lives.

The second category of collectors consists of those who go beyond just having collecting as a hobby and turn it into an obsession, Griffin said.

“A collection should not control the individual,” Griffin said.

Although Lisa Thomas, a sophomore elementary education major, said her collection does not control her, color coordinating is a priority.

“I collect the colorful ‘awareness’ bands,” Thomas said.

Thomas said she currently has nine different colors of the trendy bracelets, and she is expanding her collection over time.

“I’m not obsessive, but I get kind of frustrated when I don’t have a bracelet that matches what I’m wearing for the day,” Thomas said.

Thomas said if she faces a situation like this, she will take two bands she already has that make the color she has on.

“So if I’m wearing green, I’ll put on my yellow and blue bracelets,” Thomas said.

A collection should not be what a person is all about, it should just be a symbol that represents the individual and how proud he or she is of something, Griffin said.

“Many collections reflect what a person is interested in at the time,” Griffin said. “But if the collection becomes a drive for the person and it starts to affect normal aspects of his life, there is a problem.”

Liesl Smith, a junior photography major, said her collection revolves around the green M&M.

“I collect the green M&M because she is sassy and reminds me of myself,” Smith said. “Not because I’m obsessive or compulsive.”

Smith said anything that has a green M&M on it is sure to be added to her collection.

“I have the candy dish, a green M&M folder, a mug, the screen saver on my laptop and a green M&M hanging from my rearview mirror,” Smith said.

Smith said people who have a compulsive habit for collecting things should try to control themselves and take more responsibility for their actions.

Griffin said if someone is willing to spend an entire paycheck on a collection, he or she is showing signs of obsession, and should try to design steps to cut back on the unquenchable desire.

“Try to define yourself as an individual,” Griffin said. “Sometimes who the person actually is becomes confusing with what he has been collecting.”

Griffin said it may even be a good idea for the person to take an inventory on how the collection impacts his or her life.

“As long as the person is collecting items for a fun hobby, then it’s fine,” Griffin said. “But if it starts to control the individual, it’s time to take a look at the situation.”