Are You A Storage Auction Addict?

Are You A Storage Auction Addict?
 
Whether you buy big storage units or small storage units—storage auction addiction can strain relationships, interfere with work, and lead to financial catastrophe. You may even do things you never thought you would, like stealing money to buy storage units or pay your debts. You may think you can’t stop but, with the right help, you can overcome your storage auction addiction and regain control of your life. The first step is recognizing and acknowledging the problem.

Storage auction addiction, also known as compulsive storage unit buying, is a type of impulse-control disorder. Compulsive storage unit buyers can’t control the impulse to buy, even when they know their buying is hurting themselves or their loved ones. Buying storage units is all they can think about and all they want to do, no matter the consequences. Compulsive storage unit buyers keep buying whether they’re up or down, broke, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they can’t afford to buy a bad unit, people with a storage auction addiction can’t "stay off the bid.”

Storage auction addicts can have a problem, however, without being totally out of control. Storage auction addiction is any behavior related to storage auctions that disrupts your life. If you’re preoccupied with buying storage units, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or buying storage units despite serious consequences, you have a storage auction addiction.

Myths & Facts about Storage Auction Addiction

MYTH: You have to buy a storage unit every day to have a storage auction addiction.
FACT: A storage auction addict may frequently or infrequently buy storage units. Buying storage units is only a problem if it causes problems.

MYTH: Storage auction addiction is not really a problem if the buyer can afford it.
FACT: Problems caused by buying excessive storage units are not just financial. Too much time spent buying storage units can lead to relationship breakdown and loss of important friendships.

MYTH: Partners of storage auction addicts often drive them to purchase storage units.
FACT: Storage auction addicts often rationalize their behavior. Blaming others is one way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, including what is needed to overcome the problem.

MYTH: If a storage auction addict builds up a debt, you should help them take care of it.
FACT: Quick fix solutions may appear to be the right thing to do. However, bailing the storage auction addict out of debt may actually make matters worse by enabling the problems to continue.

Do I have a storage auction addiction?

You may have a storage auction addiction if you:

Feel the need to be secretive about buying storage units. You might buy storage units in secret or lie about how much you spent on the unit, feeling others won’t understand or that you will surprise them with a big score.

Have trouble controlling how many units you buy. Once you start buying storage units, can you walk away? Or are you compelled to buy more until you’ve spent your last dollar, upping your bids to win lost money back?

Bid on storage units even when you really don’t have the money. A red flag is when you are getting more and more desperate to recoup your losses. You may keep buying until you’ve spent your last dollar, and then move on to money you don’t have- money to pay bills, credit cards, or things for your children. You may feel pushed to borrow, sell, or even steal things in order to buy more storage units. It’s a vicious cycle. You may sincerely believe that buying more storage units is the only way to get your lost money back. But it only puts you further and further in the hole.

Family and friends are worried about you. Denial keeps storage auction addiction going. If friends and family are worried, listen to them carefully. Take a hard look at how buying storage units is affecting your life. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Many veteran buyers are reluctant to reach out to their adult children if they've spent their inheritance on storage units. But it's never too late to make changes for the better.

Treatment for storage auction addiction

Every storage auction addict is unique and so needs a recovery program tailored specifically to him or her. What works for one storage auction addict won’t necessarily work for you. The biggest step in treatment is realizing you have a problem with storage auctions. It takes tremendous strength and courage to own up to this, especially if you have lost a lot of money and strained or broken relationships along the way. Don’t despair, and don’t try to go it alone. Many others have been in your shoes and have been able to break the habit.

Overcoming a storage auction addiction or problem is never easy. But recovery is possible if you stick with treatment and seek support.

This piece was meant for amusement purposes; I hope you didn't take it seriously. 

 Dude.   Step away from the laptop.   See that glow on the wall?   Pull the fabric away.   That's a window.
Look out there....that's outside.  Go to it!   Sunlight.  Fresh air.  PEOPLE! 


You need to get out more.
 

Dude.   Step away from the laptop.   See that glow on the wall?   Pull the fabric away.   That's a window.
Look out there....that's outside.  Go to it!   Sunlight.  Fresh air.  PEOPLE! 

You must not realize that I can change your username to Princess Honeypants. 

                                                       But I will play along!

Okay, hold on..........yes, yes I do see that glow on the wall, where the hell is it coming from? Never knew there was glass behind that curtain. What is that horrible glowing orb in the sky? Oh, yes, yes I do see people... people dancing in the streets with joy. Wait, my bad, he isn't dancing with her, he's mugging her. I'm closing the window and going back to work.

You must not realize that I can change your username to Princess Honeypants. 

                                                       

I didn't know you knew about my stage name!  YOU go to that club too!?