Published April 30, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

Recovery needs something steady. Something we can come back to when things feel messy or overwhelming. That’s why the CMD Recovery Guide is going to be so pivotal for our growth—both individually and as a community.

It’s not just a booklet—it’s our foundation. A living, breathing tool we’ll turn to in meetings, in quiet moments, and in those late-night battles with compulsion. When our minds start spinning or the pressure builds, this guide brings us back.

Adapted from the original GA Yellow Book—long used as a recovery framework for gamblers—we’ve reworked it specifically for collectors, hobbyists, and compulsive spenders. It honors the original while speaking directly to our struggles: the thrill of the chase, the dopamine highs, the burnout, and the shame cycles so many of us know too well.

We wrote it for ourselves. For anyone who’s felt out of control. For those of us who still love collecting, but want to do it differently—more intentionally, more healthfully.

This guide won’t fix everything. But it will give us something we can hold onto. A compass. A reset button. And in that way, it’ll be our bible—reminding us that we’re not alone, that we’re building something better, and that we’re doing it together.

#CollectorsMD
Together, we’ll use this guide not just to recover—but to reclaim the joy in collecting with clarity, purpose, and support.

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ou find yourself doom scrolling, half asleep at 2am—
and suddenly that viral clip pops up on your feed.
A breaker you used to rip with just hit an absolute monster.

Your heart races.
Your brain lights up.
Now you’re wide awake, itching to rip something—
even though deep down, you know you won’t come close to breaking even, let alone hitting that life-changing card.

But that’s the hook, right?
What’s hot today is forgotten tomorrow.
There’s always something new. Something shiny.
Something that might be the one.

That cycle?
It’s exactly what led to the inception of Collectors MD.

Not because we’re against the hobby—we still love the hobby. We love collecting.
But because too many of us are stuck in emotional and financial loops we can’t seem to break.

Collectors MD is a support-driven movement for anyone feeling stuck, burned out, or just trying to find a healthier balance.

It’s not about quitting.
It’s about collecting with clarity, intention, and peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD
https://www.instagram.com/p/DJEeb-TgbRD/

Had an incredible conversation with @upsetthegram on his show, Wide Open about the hidden side of collecting — the rush, the risk, the way card breaking taps into the same dopamine centers as gambling and day trading.

This isn’t just about cards. It’s about how the chase can take over if we’re not careful. That’s why I launched @collectorsmd — to create a community focused on collecting with intention, not compulsion.

Appreciate the space to tell this story, Tim.

#CollectorsMD
https://www.instagram.com/p/DJCoPH_xJMO/

Introducing the Collectors MD Recovery Guide—
a foundational tool we’ll be using in our weekly virtual peer support meetings.

Adapted from the GA Yellow Book, this guide is built specifically for collectors navigating compulsive spending, emotional burnout, and the highs and lows of the hobby.

It’s not about shame—it’s about structure.
Not about quitting—it’s about clarity.

Whether you’re deep in it or just trying to set better boundaries, this guide is here to help you reflect, reset, and reclaim control.

Join us each week as we walk through it together.
Real conversations. Real support. Real change.

Collect with intention. Not compulsion.

CMD Recovery Guide

#CollectorsMD | #CollectResponsibly | #RipResponsibly

Published April 29, 2025 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

There’s a quiet shift happening in the hobby right now—one that not everyone’s naming out loud yet, but many are feeling.

Things are moving fast.
Too fast.

Products are dropping at an unprecedented pace.
Parallel fatigue is real.
Manufacturers are flooding the market with new releases—each one louder, flashier, and more “can’t-miss” than the last.

And as collectors, we’re stuck in a loop: Chase. Rip. Flip. Repeat.

The sheer volume of new wax—paired with the non-stop buzz from breakers, influencers, and algorithm-fed hype—makes it hard to even catch your breath. Before you’ve digested one drop, the next one’s already here. Before you’ve had a chance to evaluate and appreciate (or even receive) what you just bought, you’re being pushed to chase the next release. You’re still waiting on last week’s packages, but your mind is already locked on the next one.

It’s a cycle built on urgency, not enjoyment. Speed, not satisfaction.

And when that becomes the norm, collecting starts to feel less like a passion—and more like a pressure cooker.

But here’s your reminder:
You don’t have to match the industry’s pace.

You don’t have to rip every new product.
You don’t have to stay on top of every release.
You don’t have to let FOMO dictate your rhythm.

The current state of the hobby may be built for burnout—but that doesn’t mean you have to burn out with it.

Slow is still an option.
Curated is still cool.
Intentional is still powerful.

Let everyone else chase the hype cycle.
You can build something timeless.

#CollectorsMD
You don’t need to move faster. You just need to move on purpose.

—
Follow us on Instagram: @collectorsmd
Subscribe to our Newsletter & Support Group
Join The Conversation On Mantel