Hello everyone, my name is Mike, and I have a postcard addition.
I would consider myself a dual diagnosis because I also have postcard and stamp separation anxiety. I’m always a bit apprehensive to let go of beautiful postcards and beautiful stamps even though I know it will make people happy to receive them. Even though I know that I can buy more postcards and more stamps I feel that they really need to have a good home.
Sometimes I will buy more stamps than I need and when the gift shop has plenty of postcards I always pick up multiples of the same.
Sometimes when I go to the mailbox the anxiety builds up and if there’s nothing in there I can feel the trepidation sit in.
When I go to the store I think about buying varieties of different pens, but then if they don’t work out so well then I try to think of other projects where they could work out.
When I go to a store that has washi tape I will try to think about which postcards I think they would look good on.
Sometimes I will measure the width of the stamps to make sure that they will fit nicely on the postcard.
Sometimes when I look at someone’s profile and they have thousands of received postcards, I think to myself, “they probably already have this one”.
I have a stash of low quality postcards for people who I think are super picky.
Sometimes I want to tell people what I really think when I register their postcard. They might say something irritating or I can’t read their handwriting but then I stop and come to my senses.
I really like the idea of a postcard addition. Like you have so many that you need to build an addition to your house for all the postcards, washi tapes, stamps and supplies to create new postcards. (Though possibly you mean postcard addiction. Which is also fun to think of.)
I have trouble letting go of certain cards - at least for a while. Then I go through a discussion in my head about being more enlightened and unattached - in the very best Buddhist sense of those concepts.
My solution is to (like you) buy multiples of the coolest cards - when I can - but what about amazing cards that you swap for, and so only have one?
For right now I have set aside a (LARGE!) envelope for favorites. In theory I will be writing them to my granddaughters. In reality, I am adding new cards to this side stash at a significantly faster rate than I am writing cards to my granddaughters.
I enjoyed reading your story Thanks for starting my morning with a good story!
I have a difficult time letting go of some of my postcards. I want the person that gets it to really like and appreciate it! Although for me–it is difficult to find postcards. You are lucky to have a gift shop that sells them.
Stamps-I do wish the USPS would stop issuing new stamps. I often cannot stop myself from ordering them. I order online, so it is quite easy to get the new issues–it is only $1.25 to have them sent to my home!
Pens–that is a problem for me too!
Happy Postcrossing nm_rockhound!
Thank you, Mike.
I have no attachments to postcards, to stamps, to washi, or stickers.
I have no anxieties about size, profile preferences, or expiration dates.
I never surf the internet for postcarding or crafting goodies or sales.
I never buy more than I need.
I never store more than I could use.
I never watch for the mail carrier to arrive.
I never watch for new stamp issues.
I never make a special trip to the post office for a particular stamp.
I never hunt for postcards when on holiday.
I do not understand Postcrossing.
And I am a liar.
Hello Mike, and thank you for coming forward, so many of us hate to even mention this so called obsession, passion, whatever label you want to put on it…But clearly I am mmmmmmm you know BLANK…
psst I too think about " will those stamps look good on this card, will it blend, …" I too wonder what other must haves do I have to have.
I ride to our local mail box every single day even on weekends (we don’t get mail those days) and take a deep breath and hope " cards are there" and with all the control I muster, open box, gather ( if some are there that day) , place them in my bike basket, giggle and not even take glance till I get home…
But no I don’t think I have any serious addition YET…and I am so glad NONE of us think there is anything wrong with this at all.
so grateful to all those who have such a keen sense of humour…
Hi Mike, it was fun to read your post. I notice you have close to 3k sent postcards and am wondering if your addiction to postcards and stamps started right from the beginning or built up over time.
I started last December and I feel withdrawal if there’s a day I don’t get or send postcards. I spend a lot of time looking for postcards, stamps, washi and decorating postcards. I used to like eating unhealthy snacks a lot but because of my new PA (postcard addiction) diagnosis (lol) and not wanting to get my hands dirty with cheesy chips, I’ve stopped eating junk food and instead spend the money on stamps or postcards.
I’m curious if anyone else has given up on anything because of their PA (postcard addiction).
I have utilized coping skills to help treat my addiction. At first it was like anything else…you jump in with both feet and don’t look back. I also get withdrawal symptoms if I go too long without my philatelic fix. I have the capability to have 66 postcards traveling at any one time but right now I don’t feel that it’s necessary to undertake that load. Thank you for reaching out to the group. We are here for you.
I´m in. My name is Heli and I have a postcard addiction (I am also "suffering of stamp addiction). I am accepting this and I am also explaining things to my self better way… (I am passionate personality, I have rich inner world and so on). I feel anxiety to let go of rare postcards. In my early times in Postcrossing I sent some special treasures I am pretty sure I will not ever become to receive myself and I feel terrible withdrawals. I have hundreds of cards and stamps but I struggle if I´m using them or not. I am complitely mixed up.
My name is Davyda and I have a postcard addiction. I’ve only been doing this 7 months, but I’m already in need of therapy. I get really wound up when I don’t get happy mail on a daily basis. My husband likes to stay away when I get the mail because he knows he is going to get an extreme version of me for the good or the not-so-good once I thumb through the mail. I rant excessively when I don’t get happy mail for three days or more and begin to debate all the conspiracy theories working against my mailbox.
My daughters used to bring me cute souvenirs, like t-shirts and key chains, when they go on trips. Now, they always bring me back postcards to avoid the side-eye and cold shoulder. They stand around and watch as I review the postcard treasures that they bring back for my collection, then they whisper, “Do you like them?” I always say yes (even when I do not)!
I think there’s a lot of postcard addicts out there but they’re afraid to step forward. There is no judgment here, just a way for us to help you with your problems. Taking that first step can be the hardest.
Sometimes we might be ashamed of our addiction and tend to do what we do best in the cover of night away from judgmental eyes. The ones who have it the worst are those who browse eBay in the dark of night or under the covers searching for the postcards that are so hard to get. It’s even more satisfying finding that holy grail of postcards with special stamps and the rare cancelation…the maxicard to end all maxicards.
“I have a stash of low quality postcards for people who I think are super picky.” Ha, Ha! Yeah!
Also, when someone just writes Happy Postcrossing and doesn’t even bother to sign their name, I just write Thank you when I register it. Otherwise, normally, I try to write a nice comment about the card or something they wrote.
Me! As a matter of fact many postcards I’ve written were done above 10 pm. My postcrossing pattern goes like : I tag people in various tag threads for a week, I write their cards on Friday and/or Saturday night, and if I tag more than 5 person, it’ll be finished past midnight. Mainly just for tags
But ofc I won’t admit it happened this is just a dream
My name is Cynthia. I joined Postcrossing because I just love getting mail, not because I’m a postcard collector. And I promised myself I wouldn’t become a postcard collector.
Which is also fun to think of.)
(I am also "suffering of stamp addiction). I am accepting this and I am also explaining things to my self better way… (I am passionate personality, I have rich inner world and so on). I feel anxiety to let go of rare postcards. In my early times in Postcrossing I sent some special treasures I am pretty sure I will not ever become to receive myself and I feel terrible withdrawals. I have hundreds of cards and stamps but I struggle if I´m using them or not. I am complitely mixed up.
They stand around and watch as I review the postcard treasures that they bring back for my collection, then they whisper, “Do you like them?” I always say yes (even when I do not)! 
