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Emotional Attachements to Objects

2010Dolby

2010Dolby

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
Im not sure if its an aspie thing or how most people are. I get overly-attached and almost emotionally-dependant on some objects. I think its possibly an aspie trait because I sometimes have trouble trusting and caring for people so its easier to "love" other things.

The strongest attachement I've had to an object (and stronger then I feel about most people) is with my Firebird. Probably mostly because my father and I fixed it up before he died, so its got that obvious sentimental bond with it. I NEVER plan on selling her, shes my pride, joy and baby.

My first truck still has a soft-spot in my heart. That thing was a pile of scrap metal but I loved her.

My current truck I find myself getting really protective over and get a heart warming smile when I see her.

I think the oddest emotional bond I have with an object is with my hammer. Its my "beater", my first hammer I've ever used professionally. Rusted and scratched beyond words. I use it for all the things that I dont want my "good" hammers to do. I thought about throwing it out but I couldnt because I have a massive amount of trust with it. Its common for construction workers and carpenters to form a bit of a bond with their hammers (yes, I know it sounds odd) but I think I put a bit too much trust into this thing. It sounds so weird when I say it but thats really the best way I can put it into words.

Anybody else put a lot of emotional attachements into objects? Stuffed animals, vehicles, clothing, etc.
 
2010Dolby you are not alone, I get emotional attachments to things as well and I figure that everyone does but, for us it is on a more personal level.

I think this is where hoarding begins Ha-Ha

I bought a car that everyone said was for the scrap heap, after I spent an age giving it some tender loving care I invited a few people to drive it and I watched as they ate their words! Trouble is, I still can’t bring myself to get my license and so; many years later it sits there still waiting to be driven. I wouldn’t get rid of it if you paid me to, it is my treasure and one day it will know its former glory. Until then, let everyone think what they want!

I have other things too, that evoke memories and are a burden at the same time, I probably would have those memories still if I got rid of the thing that triggers it but, I wouldn’t remember as often, if you get my meaning :lol:
 
I don't know if it's really being attached to said things. But I don't throw anything away for no reason. Might be a bit of a hoarder. I rarely sell of my stuff either... well, used to. Have done some in the past, but that depends on a number of reasons.

I sold of a lot of cd's years ago because by my logic I could as well get them digital. So that would be a practical reason over anything else. And a few years ago I sold of a few of my Warhammer armies I had around. I didn't play the game that much anymore and I had no money. Add in that I had potential buyers, so that was pretty much set.

But in general, I don't want to part with things I've spend time on that much. Things I've painted (or at least made) I don't want to get rid of that easy. I don't know if I'm overprotective of those things either. Yes I try to keep em out of harms way and just put them in a corner or a box where they're safe, but I think I'm way to chaotic to keep in mind that I have to pay attention for X all the time.

With clothes for example; I might hoard a bit, but I rarely buy new clothes. But I don't really wear/use those for much physical activities, nor have I ever. I'm still having tshirts around from 6 years ago. Yes they've faded and such, but I still like them a lot, so I wont part with them unless I think it's not a shirt but a rag. But the "vintage" look it has, does suit me a bit I think. So with the hoarding thing... I don't hoard in the sense that I keep stocking up more than goes out that much, if I throw away a shirt, I'm buying a new one. The only time I keep stuff around (shoes for example) is if they're kinda damaged, need new ones but don't have cash to do so. I'll wear them when I really have to.

I might have a bit of an emotional attachment to digital stuff though. So I back-up a lot of stuff now. But also here, most of it is practical as well... I'm trying to make progress with my art, and losing that time and time again due to being lazy and not making a back-up copy is just stupid.

The thing I've saved up for a while now are traintickets... and I don't have an idea why. Probably to have some around whenever they fade out and we have to pay our fares digital. At least I had a paper ticket around once, lol.

As a kid though, I used to hoard a lot. And pretty much everything; ranging from toys, to things like pebbles and stones.
 
I spent 4+ years fixing up an old farm house, only to lose it in a divorce settlement. My ex husband didn't even like the house but he ended up with it. Live and learn. Other than that, I become attached to small things that play a role in my rituals, like my tea kettle, for instance. Sounds silly but I would be so sad if it broke.
 
I knew about my tendency to develop emotional attachment to things in childhood so I trained myself not to get attached by playing out various scenarios of loss and planning out how I would deal with it. I've had to abandon tons of my stuff and I can't really say I care much about it now...
 
epath13 said:
I knew about my tendency to develop emotional attachment to things in childhood so I trained myself not to get attached by playing out various scenarios of loss and planning out how I would deal with it. I've had to abandon tons of my stuff and I can't really say I care much about it now...
Click to expand...
That is a very mature thing to learn as a child. Was there anything that precipitated an insight like that?
 
Bay said:
That is a very mature thing to learn as a child. Was there anything that precipitated an insight like that?
Click to expand...

I don't know... it was sort of a logical thing to learn :) things get lost, brake, get stolen, nothing is forever. The same kind of logic that led me to an idea (I was about 4, I think) that I had to train myself not to be afraid of death or possible loss of family members... yeah, I was a weird kid :) I'm not sure what triggered it... it just came with the 1st thing that got lost or broken and with the 1st death I witnessed.
 
I'm currently upset that I took my anger out on my laptop and now it can't shut all the way so it can't "close its mouth." It makes me very sad.

I also have several stuffed animals I have to say bye to when I leave the house and I also carry one with me.
My most attachment to an object is my frog pillow, Mr. Frog. I appear to be somewhat insane with the stuffed animals.

I also get attached to my writing desks once I become close to them and spend more time with them.
 
I am attached to my books. No one is allowed to borrow my books unless they are given my rules for reading my books that means no cracking the backs. They should appear as I had given them perfect. All my books even those that have been read tons of times have to look as if they weren't read.

I am also very very attached to my Ball Jointed Dolls (BJD's) they all are of characters that I created from my head and I would be very very upset if they got broken. I nearly had a fit when at one point my mom found out about said dolls (as I live with her) and she wanted me to sell them to get the money back they are bit expensive). I am ashamed to say I had a bit of meltdown and she stopped I guess she realized I was too attached and it was going to be more of an issue to try to get me to get rid of them. :cute:
 
I've always been far more attached to objects than I've ever been to people. So I've got hundreds of things, that I've amassed over time, that I'm emotionally attached to, including some items that stretch right back to when I was a toddler.
 
When I was 10 years old I moved with my parents from Romania to Germany. I remember I drove my parents crazy, pointing at my favorite objects and asking whether I would have the same ones in Germany. I had a small chair that my father made for me that I was very attached to. And a favorite TV series I was watching. I was not afraid of leaving family members or friends behind and did also not miss them.

Now, I am very attached to my camera. It makes me forget the world around me and I love this feeling. It fell once from my tripod and I had to bring it to repair. I was 5 weeks without and missed it a lot. I can go for months without seeing family though.

When I was younger I could hardly throw anything away, also clothes. But I changed in this. I had to, I have a studio apartment and not so much space as I would like to have. Impossible to keep everything.
 
It's not an object but it is my tattoo, hmmm maybe it counts as well. It gives me strength when I feel blue, I got it done so I always remember I am a fighter.
 
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