Is caching really addictive?

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 8:36 am

Just wondering how addictive our activity really is...

Before answering the poll, take a little time to analyze your own responses and feelings when you think of geocaching.
And "quitting" means everything: finding, hiding, events, forums...

The only thing is that you can keep the friendships you have made while caching, but you can't go caching with those people anymore.

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 8:55 am

sandlanders wrote:

And "quitting" means everything: finding, hiding, events, forums...

WHAT?????? And give up hosting the annual blue frosted treat meet & greet???? Not in this lifetime!!!!!!

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:06 am

Is smoking addictive ? I quit smoking about 20 yrs. ago. Cold turkey, no patches, no support group, no nothing. When my friends found out they all offered me cigarettes.
I didn't go looking for a cache for about 30 days, a couple of years ago. When I did start again it was because the weather was getting warmer and I was getting bored.
If I'd have gotten back to my woodworking instead who knows.

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:47 am

We do think geocaching is the type of activity that can draw people replacing other addictions, generally in a more positive fashion. Someone we care very much about who has dealt with serious addictions has come to a couple caching events with us and he simply said..."Yup. Just a group of addicts finding each other! It's like radar." While that isn't the case for us, we do like "collecting." That said....once before, we hit a point where we said..."Enough already." We crept back into it after a time, but have generally done so at a less obsessive rate. We didn't like driving 2 or more hours just to cache and started returning to other activities closer to home that we enjoyed before....and liked it.

The broken arm has given us the time and space to really think about the whole thing once more. I'm not saying we are quitting...we aren't. But we have a few things we'd set out to do and would like to get there. After that, it will be going if we feel like it and looking for the kind we truly enjoy, passing on the rest. If need be.....we could quit all but the friendships. A year ago I don't think I'd have been able to say that unequivocally, but now I can. I could say much more about the reasons it's become much easier for us to say this, but for this discussion, I've said enough.

Birding? That's a whole different matter. wink

Not so very different that caching, really!

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:54 am

Caching is definitely my good addiction having replaced other less positive activities. That being said, I've been trying to manage my addiction which means we cache every other day and only go to a handful of events in IA or IL instead of caching everyday and driving to northern MI for 1 cache Smile

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 2:34 pm

Could I quit? Yes. Would I want to? No.

WGA Member Joined: 2007-02-03 Posts: 2180

Got home from work at 4:15. Read my e-mails. Read BBG's log for his FTF on a puzzle that I solved, but don't have time to get until the weekend now that I'm back to work. Checked to see if any new caches were published today. Checked the "Wildbunch" on Facebook. Went to the Forums to see what the Threadstealers were doing today. What a banged up bunch. I first noticed the post and survey after doing all of those things. Now time to vote.

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:36 pm

As long as the friendships could stay, caching could go.

There once was a cacher of note
To give up caching, he did vote
He was set in his mind
And deleted his finds
But his friends still kept him afloat

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:38 pm

Other than REALLY trying to fill in blank dates on the calendar in December and January (which we did), we have mostly cached in spurts. It felt good to ignore the calendar in February and just do a few when we felt like it. Maybe we'll black out all 366 days in 2014... or 15... Our average has been just a bit over a hundred finds a year since starting. We usually cache when we are on vacation or going someplace new, but not too often have we traveled just to cache. A few times, yes, but more likely to just take a small detour while on the road to/from someplace. But I do see a few dedicated caching road trips in our future, as long as there are also quilt shops worthy of visiting!

Could we quit? Yup. Do we want to? Nope.

cYa, Chris & Jim

Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 5:59 pm

I could quit caching, but for me it isn't really an addiction. I go through spurts of heavy caching, then stretches of a few caches or none. I have other hobbies, other commitments, financial fluctuations...since I try to keep it in perspective, I see no reason to quit Very Happy

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:43 pm

I'm sure I could stop if I wanted to. But that's the problem with addiction isn't it? Wanting to stop?

You might know you should stop something. You may know it is being very disruptive and having a negative impact on your life. But truly wanting to stop is a key.

But if I thought geocaching was having a negative impact on my life, relationships, family or others around me then I'm confident I could just walk away. Right now, however, the only negative thing I can come up with is the extra gas money being spent.

On the other hand, I'm spending more time with my family doing something active. Getting more exercise. Getting outdoors more. Meeting new people. So... I have no interest in quitting and don't expect to any time soon.

Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:28 am

Quit? Sure, I could quit any time I wanted to.

I quit 12 times last year.... Laughing

iowaPete