When a hobby becomes a madness

In class, we talked about Doll Collectors.

image via

I'm a little freaked out by dolls in general, but this conversation made me think of an expecially creepy industry called "Reborn Dolls." Artists create these baby dolls in the exact likeness of a human baby. And I'm not talking about an American Girl doll that "looks like me." These dolls are so realistic that they are often mistaken for human children.

One doesn't simply "buy" a Reborn Doll. They must be "adopted." The dolls have names and stories. Owners treat them like actual babies and consider themselves "parents." The creators of the dolls even works in "nurseries."

image via

These dolls have recently gained popularity among women who have experienced miscarriages, stillbirths, or the death of a baby. It is said that the presence of a reborn baby soothes aching arms and hearts.

The BBC took interest in this subculture and created a documentary, a portion of which can be found here. Another fascinating train wreck here. 

"How does this relate to hobbies?" you ask. Well, at what point does a hobby become an unhealthy obsession? I'm sure we all know people who lose the line between reality and make-believe (I'm thinking of every person in the WOW community). I would say that buying a silicone baby and toting it around is a sickness.

Here are some guidelines I came across on when to see a hobby as an neurosis:

1.  You’re broke.  If all of your expendable income and more is going into supporting your hobby, then you may be wandering dangerously close to the level of obsession.

2.   You’re alone.  You may find that you’re avoiding friends and family (screening calls, ducking visits) so that you can have more time to spend on your hobby. 

3.  Your house looks like a storage unit.  In keeping with the first two hallmarks of obsessive behavior, you may begin to notice that your penchant for collecting items associated to your hobby has left your house looking like an episode of Hoarders. 

4.   You work just enough to pay for your hobby. 
source

I would add "when you're giving a plastic baby doll a bath."