Alyx Effron | September 23, 2026

Presented By All Touch Case

Sometimes the most important question isn’t what we call an activity. It’s what that activity is doing in our lives. Within the hobby, there can be a lot of discussion about where the line sits between collecting, entertainment, speculation, and gambling. Those conversations matter, and reasonable people can look at the same activity through different legal, clinical, industry, or lived-experience lenses. But for someone who is struggling, the terminology may not be the most important part of the conversation.

In peer-support meetings and conversations with people seeking help, we sometimes hear collectors describe experiences with ripping boxes, joining breaks, chasing cards, or other forms of randomized purchasing that feel remarkably familiar to experiences they have had with gambling. The anticipation. The uncertainty. The rush when something hits. The disappointment when it doesn’t. The urge to try again. The belief that the next outcome might make up for the last one.

That doesn’t mean every person who opens a pack of cards or joins a break is “gambling”. It doesn’t mean these activities affect everyone the same way. And it certainly doesn’t mean that the people, businesses, or platforms participating in the hobby are responsible for every individual experience. It simply means that uncertainty can affect different people differently.

When we purchase a specific card, we generally know what we are receiving. With randomized products or experiences, part of what we are purchasing can be the possibility of what we might receive. Sometimes the result exceeds our expectations. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes we may receive cards worth considerably less than what we spent. Depending on the format of a break, there may even be occasions when a participant receives no cards at all.

For many collectors, that uncertainty is simply part of the entertainment. For others, particularly those with a history of gambling-related harm, compulsive spending, or difficulty managing urges, the experience of uncertainty and anticipation may affect them very differently. That distinction matters.

Randomness and anticipation are not new to collecting. The hobby has incorporated chase elements, limited inserts, mystery products, pack openings, and other uncertain outcomes in different forms for generations. What has changed dramatically is how quickly and easily we can engage with them.

Sometimes awareness begins by creating enough space to notice what the hobby is actually doing in our lives – not just what we’re getting from it.

Collecting no longer necessarily requires waiting for a card show, visiting a hobby shop, finding a seller, or even leaving the house. Today, someone can watch a box being opened, purchase into a break, see the outcome, discover another opportunity, and make another purchase within minutes. Livestreaming, mobile marketplaces, social media, notifications, saved payment methods, and constant access have made collecting more convenient and connected than ever before. They have also changed the amount of time that can exist between an urge and our ability to act on it.

That reduced friction can be exciting and useful. It can also make self-awareness and personal boundaries increasingly important. The goal doesn’t have to be deciding that one activity is inherently good or bad. Instead, we can ask ourselves what happens after we participate. Do I feel satisfied, or immediately compelled to try again? Am I enjoying the experience itself, or primarily chasing a particular outcome? When I spend more than I intended, can I comfortably stop? Do I find myself trying to recover money from a previous purchase through the next break, box, or transaction? Has the accessibility of the hobby made it harder for me to create distance between an urge and a purchase? And perhaps most importantly: Does this still feel like collecting to me, or has my relationship with it started to feel like something else?

There doesn’t need to be one universal answer. Two people can participate in the exact same activity and experience it very differently. One may enjoy an occasional break as entertainment and comfortably walk away afterward. Another may find that the uncertainty activates a cycle of chasing, spending, regret, and trying again. Recognizing that difference isn’t an indictment of the hobby. It’s an opportunity to better understand ourselves within it.

We can appreciate collecting while also acknowledging that certain experiences may carry additional risk for some people. We can enjoy innovation and accessibility while recognizing that easier access may require stronger personal boundaries. And we can have thoughtful conversations about gambling-like mechanics without assuming that every collector who encounters them will experience harm. Most importantly, when someone tells us that an activity is affecting them in ways that feel similar to gambling, we don’t necessarily need to settle the terminology before taking their experience seriously.

If the behavior is becoming difficult to control, creating financial or emotional consequences, interfering with relationships, or repeatedly pulling someone back despite their intention to stop, that experience deserves attention regardless of the label attached to it.

At Collectors MD, our goal isn’t to tell people how they should collect or to define the hobby for everyone else. Our goal is to create space for people to recognize when their own relationship with collecting may be changing, understand the mechanics that may be affecting them, and find support when they need it.

Sometimes the most useful question isn’t, “What should we call this?” It’s, “What is this doing to me?”

If that question resonates with you, you don’t have to figure out the answer alone. Take a moment to explore our tools and resources, connect with our community, or join a Collectors MD peer-support meeting. Whether your goal is to step away, regain balance, or simply better understand your relationship with the hobby, support is available. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs immediate support, visit our Help Now page.

#CollectorsMD
Not every collector experiences uncertainty, randomized products, ripping, or breaking in the same way. If an activity that once felt enjoyable has become difficult to control, financially harmful, or increasingly focused on chasing the next outcome, it may be worth paying attention to what you’re experiencing. You don’t need to settle on a label before asking for support.

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Alyx Effron | September 16, 2026

Presented By All Touch Case

One of the hardest parts of asking for help can be deciding whether what we’re experiencing is actually serious enough to deserve it. Maybe we spent more than we intended. Maybe we’ve started hiding purchases from the people around us. Maybe breaks, auctions, releases, or marketplaces are taking up more of our attention than they used to. Maybe we’ve told ourselves we were going to slow down, only to find ourselves right back in the same cycle a few days later.

Or maybe nothing dramatic has happened at all. Something just doesn’t feel right. When we think about getting help, it can be easy to imagine that there needs to be a clear line separating someone who has a “problem” from someone who doesn’t. We may convince ourselves that we haven’t lost enough money, damaged enough relationships, accumulated enough debt, or experienced enough consequences to justify reaching out.

So we wait. We tell ourselves we’ll get things under control after the next release or purchase. We’ll sell a few cards and make some of the money back. We’ll take a break after the weekend. We’ll set a budget next month. We’ll stop joining breaks once the product we’ve been chasing finally comes out.

But support doesn’t have to begin at rock bottom. In fact, one of the most valuable times to ask questions, create boundaries, or talk to someone may be when we first begin wondering whether our relationship with collecting or spending is changing.

You don’t need a diagnosis to recognize that something is affecting you. You don’t need to identify as having an addiction to acknowledge that your spending has become uncomfortable. You don’t need to understand exactly why you keep chasing something to recognize that you would like help stopping.

And you certainly don’t need to wait for things to get worse before taking the first step. Sometimes concern itself is enough information to act on.

That applies to the people around us, too. A spouse may notice changes in spending before the collector is ready to acknowledge them. A parent may see packages arriving every day and wonder what is happening. A friend may recognize that someone who once collected for fun now seems consumed by what they are buying, selling, pulling, winning, or losing.

They may not know what to call it either. They shouldn’t have to. That’s why we created a new Help Now page within the Collectors MD ecosystem. We wanted there to be one simple place where a collector, family member, friend, colleague, or loved one could go when something doesn’t feel right and immediately understand what options are available.

Whether someone is experiencing an immediate emotional crisis, struggling with gambling or gambling-related behavior, concerned about compulsive collecting or spending, looking for professional support, or simply trying to understand what they are experiencing, the goal is to provide a clear next step.

No judgment. No labels. No requirement that you already know exactly what kind of help you need. Just a place to start.

You don’t have to know whether it’s a “problem” to reach out. If collecting, breaking, buying, selling, or spending is becoming difficult to control – or something simply doesn’t feel right – support is available.

Sometimes that next step may be joining a free peer-support meeting and simply listening. It may be talking with a clinician or treatment provider. It may mean removing saved payment methods, stepping away from live breaks or auctions, turning off purchasing notifications, or putting some distance between an urge and the ability to immediately act on it.

And sometimes the situation is more urgent. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call or text 988. If there is an immediate emergency, call 911.

Collectors MD is not a crisis service, and peer support is not a substitute for professional mental health or medical care. Part of providing meaningful support is recognizing when someone needs a level of care beyond what a peer-support community can provide and making that pathway as clear as possible.

That’s also why asking for help shouldn’t feel like a commitment to a particular label, treatment path, or definition of what you are experiencing. It can simply be a decision to find out what support is available.

Maybe you visit the page today and realize a peer-support meeting feels like the right next step. Maybe you find a professional resource you didn’t know existed. Maybe you send the page to someone you’ve been worried about. Or maybe you read through it, recognize a few behaviors in yourself, and decide it’s time to pay closer attention. All of those are meaningful actions.

We talk frequently about collecting with intention and responsible engagement. But intention and responsibility aren’t only about deciding what we buy, what we collect, or how much we spend. They also mean being willing to recognize when our relationship with the hobby has started to change – and when it may no longer feel healthy, enjoyable, or in our control.

We don’t need to wait until we have all the answers. We don’t need to determine exactly where the line is. And we don’t need to prove that things are “bad enough” before reaching for support.

If something doesn’t feel right, that is reason enough to explore what help is available. Start there.

#CollectorsMD
You don’t have to know whether it’s a “problem” before asking for help. If collecting, breaking, buying, selling, or spending is becoming difficult to control – or you’re worried about someone you care about – support is available. Visit the new Collectors MD Help Now page for clear pathways to immediate crisis resources, peer support, professional help, and additional resources.

Collectors MD provides peer support and education and is not a crisis service or substitute for professional mental health, medical, substance-use, legal, or financial care. If you are experiencing an emergency, crisis, or immediate risk to yourself or others, please contact local emergency services or a crisis hotline immediately. If you or someone you know is struggling, experiencing emotional distress, or thinking about self-harm, help is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are outside the U.S., please contact your local emergency number or a trusted mental health resource in your country. You are not alone, and support is available.

—
Follow Us On Social: @collectorsmd
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This Daily Reflection is sponsored by All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% off your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

https://collectorsmd.com/help-starts-here/

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Megan Poliquin, LPCC-S, LICDC-GAMB, OCPSA, Manager of Gambling Treatment and Prevention at Zepf Center, to explore how addiction changes the brain—and why modern collecting environments are creating behavioral patterns that increasingly resemble traditional gambling.

With nearly a decade of experience treating gambling disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions, Megan brings a unique clinical perspective to a conversation that sits at the intersection of psychology, addiction, recovery, and today's rapidly evolving hobby landscape.

Together, Alyx and Megan discuss why modern collecting has changed so dramatically over the past several years. From live breaks and mystery products to constant product releases, scarcity marketing, and social media-fueled hype, they examine how today's collecting environments can activate many of the same psychological mechanisms that drive compulsive gambling.

The conversation also explores why so many collectors fail to recognize these patterns until significant financial, emotional, or relational consequences begin to emerge. Megan explains how variable rewards, dopamine, chasing behavior, and emotional avoidance can quietly transform a healthy hobby into something much more difficult to control—and why these behaviors often go unnoticed because they don't resemble traditional gambling.

Alyx and Megan also discuss the growing gap between modern collecting and today's behavioral health system. They explore why many clinicians have never been trained to recognize compulsive collecting, why greater awareness is needed throughout the treatment community, and how partnerships between organizations like Collectors MD and Zepf Center can help build stronger pathways for education, prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Finally, they discuss harm reduction, intentional collecting, and why the goal isn't to eliminate collecting—but to help people maintain a healthy relationship with the hobby before the chase begins to outweigh the joy.

At its core, this episode is about understanding how addiction works, recognizing the warning signs before they escalate, and creating a future where collectors, families, clinicians, and the hobby itself are better equipped to support healthier engagement.

If you've ever wondered why it can be so difficult to stop chasing the next card, the next box, or the next release—or if you've watched someone you care about slowly lose control of what started as a hobby—this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around healthier collecting, behavioral health, and responsible engagement.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Nonprofit: lohas.org/client/the-cmd-foundation

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: info@collectorsmd.com

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Learn More About Zepf Center:

Website: zepfcenter.org/gambling-treatment

YT: ‪@zepfcenter6418‬

LI: Zepf Center

Follow Megan:

LI: Megan Poliquin

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #TheCMDFoundation | #ZepfCenter | #RipResponsibly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pdn0TD8zZo

Honored to see Collectors MD mentioned in today's The Wall Street Journal feature exploring the evolution of modern collecting and the changing dynamics of today's hobby.

Grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute to the conversation, and thankful to everyone who has shared their experiences and helped move this discussion forward.

This is more than media coverage - it's another sign that conversations once considered taboo are becoming impossible to ignore.

Read the entire piece here: https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/whatnot-live-shopping-app-48b67987?st=YQxwu7

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, Alyx sits down with Lauren Johnson, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker, Marine Corps veteran, mental performance coach, and founder of Ascent Wellness Group.

Before becoming a therapist specializing in gambling and compulsive behaviors, Lauren experienced many of the same challenges that countless collectors and hobbyists face today. Through her company, The Playing Field, she became deeply immersed in sports card breaks, finding herself taking risks and blurring the lines between business, investing, and compulsion.

Despite understanding addiction professionally, Lauren found herself experiencing firsthand just how powerful and deceptive compulsive behaviors can become, particularly within highly stimulating environments designed around constant access, urgency, and dopamine.

Alyx and Lauren discuss her journey into collecting, therapy, and recovery, her experience in the Marine Corps, building a sports cards business, and the difficult realization that collecting had evolved into something far different than she originally intended.

They also explore the thin line between business, investing, and gambling, examining risk-taking, chasing, sunk-cost fallacy, and why highly functioning individuals are often vulnerable to compulsive behaviors. Lauren shares the cognitive distortions that can keep people leaning further into the chase and why addiction often affects people who appear to have everything together on the surface.

They also explore recovery, resilience, and the power of healing in community. Lauren shares what recovery has taught her, why she calls herself a "delusional optimist," and how her military experience shaped her resilience.

They also discuss the "dopamine economy" and how today's increasingly stimulating digital environments - from smartphones to live-streaming platforms - shape our behavior, while sharing practical strategies for healthier engagement.

At its core, this episode is about awareness, resilience, intentionality, and understanding why healing happens through connection rather than isolation.

If you've ever wondered why some hobbies can slowly become all-consuming, questioned where the line exists between passion and compulsion, or struggled to understand why intelligent, high-functioning people sometimes find themselves caught in cycles they never intended to enter, this is a conversation worth listening to.

Sometimes the issue isn't the cards, the breaks, or the platforms themselves. It's learning how to navigate environments intentionally when so many systems are designed to keep us chasing more.

Subscribe, share, and join the conversation around awareness, intentional collecting, and building healthier relationships with our hobbies and behaviors.

Watch The Episode On YouTube

Learn More & Join The Movement:

Website: collectorsmd.com

Nonprofit: lohas.org/client/the-cmd-foundation

Socials: bio.collectorsmd.com

Weekly Meetings: bit.ly/45koiMX

Contact: info@collectorsmd.com

YT: ‪@collectorsmd

IG: @collectorsmd

Contact Lauren:

Website: ascent-wellness.co

Psychology Today: bit.ly/4vcjZhk

Contact: hello@ascent-wellness.co | (303) 550-9757

Help for Problem Gambling: Call or Text 800-GAMBLER

This Episode of The Collector's Compass is sponsored by ‪All Touch Case, a premium display and protection solution designed to showcase your cards while keeping them safe. Use code COLLECTORSMD for 15% of your order. Collect. Protect. It’s a peace of mind.

#CollectorsMD | #TheCMDFoundation | #AscentWellness | #RipResponsibly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6222d1AC-4Y