Tool acquisition disorder
There are an increasing number of people falling victim to a growing social disorder that causes them to buy tools and equipment just because they find good deals or something…
There are an increasing number of people falling victim to a growing social disorder that causes them to buy tools and equipment just because they find good deals or something really appeals to them, and not because they really need the tool.
This growing phenomenon has become known as "Tool Acquisition Disorder" (TAD). As with any addiction the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Psychologists have been slow in identifying this trend but, recently, there have been some new and effective treatments developed. I believe there is now even a 12-step program for TAD sufferers.
One effective cure is to force yourself to actually use the tools you buy. Many who suffer from this disorder are cured as soon as they realize that every time they acquire a new tool, they will actually have to do some work. This has proven to be an effective aversion therapy.
Another technique is to set a limit on the number of tools you allow yourself to own. What that means is that every time you acquire a new tool, you have to get rid of one you already own. This does not actually cure the disorder. In fact many experts feel that this enables the disorder by permitting the afflicted person to continue to indulge his tool gluttony. But is does address the inevitable, accompanying storage space problem.
You can also try a radical new treatment in which the patient is required to think of and design a project that can be completed only with the tools they currently own that have not yet been used. Often, this creates such a strong mental strain that the afflicted person becomes completely distracted and simply forgets all about buying new tools.
In many instances, the requirement that new acquisitions have to be used and that buying a new tool will automatically mean that actual work will have to be done is a sufficient deterrent. Often the tool addict will realize that buying beer has no such requirement attached and it is commonly believed that alcoholism is much more widely understood and easier to cure than TAD.
D.D.
David DeCristoforo possesses an extensive resume as designer/maker of fine furniture, high-end cabinetry and architectural woodwork. His experience in professional woodworking spans a period of 35 years. For the past 20 years David DeCristoforo Design has been located in Woodland, California. During this time David's shop has ranged in scope from a "full on" cabinet production shop with as many as 15 employees to a small fine furniture and custom millwork shop, working with his son, David RBJ, a highly skilled maker in his own right.
