It was brought home to me clearly (and set the gears in motion for me to have a proper think) when, just before Christmas, I was talking to a friend and we were joking that "The house and the cars are paid for but my watch is on HP!" At the time, it was funny, but later...
How utterly bloody ridiculous!
Since I joined the forum in August, there has hardly been a week where I haven't bought a watch, sometimes two, sometimes more and only one week (that I can remember) where I didn't get another watch. If a new watch wasn't incoming, I felt dreadful and had to get on the case quickly.
I was up to over 40 watches in 4 months! A lot of them I kept quiet about as hiding things from your friends is part of an addiction/obsession. I have now given away a few to friends and family and am back to under thirty (!) and intend to reduce this number further. I do have an obsessive personality and suffer with OCD and Manic Depression (capitals deserved!) and watches had become a "Mania". I had to get myself under control.
It's really strange: I can go on other watch fora and be relatively unaffected: they don't instantly make me want to spend a fortune on other watches, while I come on here, where most of you I consider "friends" and the urge is immense! So I blame you lot
.It was really brought home to me when I realised how hard I was plotting to get a new Rolex. I was even contemplating selling my car ( it would buy a couple of nice pieces!) or forking out another £125 per month on 0% finance at Goldsmiths - utterly, stupidly, ridiculous!
So I banned myself from here for one month. Also, banned myself from buying a watch for a month, to see if I could get myself under control. I could (and did) go on TZ, but not much and made very few posts, but necessary if I want to sell some watches on there in the future to not appear to be a "user". Strange, but I really don't get the same buzz on other fora... Odd, but I can spend time on there, in the SC and not really get the same old desires to spend unless you lot have got me set on a mission first - not blaming you guys at all, perhaps it's just a desire for me to be accepted into your club, to be seen as a "Proper watch guy" that set me off on such a destructive path.
Also, there were one or two people on here that were begining to bug me, being accused of "Spamming" **** me right off and I was vaguely aware that I was "Over-reacting" as, when all's said and done, this is just an internet forum with "Virtual friends" ( I hope you don't mind that I honestly consider most of you so?) and not "real life".
Anyway, done it now. A whole month away and it did get easier. Also, no new watches for over a month and no great desire for any either! I consider this a succesful experiment... phew!
So. I'm back (if you'll let me come back?) and the real test will come over the next few weeks weeks if I can continue to resist spending like money itself is going out of fashion!
I apologies to one and all for just disappearing without a word, but the decision was made on New Years day (when I sobered up!) and it was too late to change the decision. I Hope to become a "Proper watch guy" in the fullness of time without spending bloody thousands weekly on this hobby/obsession.
Yes, I know I'm a sad, lonely old Manic Obsessive but I am trying, honest!
You were indeed missed. Sorry to hear about the problems, but very nice to hear you've got yourself sorted.
