[ajmich]

Don't know if this is a good place to vent about credit addiction, but feel free to steer me in the right direction if you know of a better forum for this issue.

Bipolar II, mainly major depression... "highs" are many years apart, and are just a terrific, mild hypomania, for a few too-short months at best.

I haven't had to be "way up" to abuse credit... as long as I've been able to obtain credit, inevitably I get in over my head and wind up defaulting. This has happened several times. I always promise myself that "this time" I will keep it in check, pay everything off... but it is too tempting to "mood alter" by buying things. Getting car repairs. Cash advances. Juggling accounts, using one to pay another, etc. Just about anything I couldn't otherwise afford would be appealing.

OK so it's been a few years since my last default. Only have a secured card now, no credit. Though I've generally been able to shake off the creditors (no blood from a stone defense), now there's at least one very aggressive collector fishing around for bank and credit union accounts to garnish. Same is happening to my sister, who I share a home with. We face having to file bankruptcy to protect our home from any attempt to put a lien or whatever... this is all very new because (amazingly) a dear wealthy friend left us the house in her will! Never been homeowners before so this seems to be where the credit abuse comes to a head. On the off chance that collectors find out we own a house (unlikely they'd be looking for that, but??) we gotta take steps to protect the home.

Just wondering if anyone out there has had a similar jones and what they've learned from it. So far I've resisted trying to get credit again (hasn't been long enough anyway, my record is terrible). I'm applying gratitude for what I already have and remind myself that all the "stuff" I essentially stole does not mean much of anything, it cannot fill a void or change the mood for long... gee, much like any additive drug or booze, eh?

[Travelinglady]

Hi! So far no one has fessed up to it, I see. But I'm sure you're not alone!

[ajmich]

Hi Payne... yeah I doubt I'm alone in this, but it's lookin' like this issue is way off topic for most users of PC... still new around here and want to be patient, but it's much more enjoyable when folks (like you) chime in and things get rolling... after all, it's been OVER A WHOLE DAY since I posted, haha. Instant gratification ain't fast enough!

[layla11]

Hi Ajmich, this is the perfect place to post this. You could probably consult with a attorney for free and get some info and maybe ease your mind.

[ajmich]

Thx, layla... and it may be a good place, just not, um, well-travelled? Off the beaten path?

Anyway why should anyone in PC be embarrassed ever about anything? We all come here to be among like kind and feel safe baring our *sses... right? Yeah, I am consulting with free legal aid online, they're helpful, I just haven't had to deal with this BS in quite awhile so I forgot how nasty some of the collectors can get.

[splitimage]

I too have a shopping problem, and ran up a ton of credit card debt. I filled for bankruptcy last July and it was a good decision. It got rid of the collection calls, and gives me a clean slate to start over with. Bankruptcy rules vary from country to country, so I can't advise if this is the best option for you or not. You might want to look into credit counselling services in your area, they're usually free and they might be able to provide advice.

splitimage

[ajmich]

splitimage, thank you, been hoping for a post from a fellow CC addict. I'm looking at bankruptcy right now, although all my debt is several years old... an aggressive collector has been placing garnishment on various banks in my area, obviously trying to find an account I might have (I don't have a bank or CU). But they may try to get a lien against my home and I must take action to prevent that as I cannot pay them the debt... it has been shuffled around from the original creditor anyway, as often happens.

[Travelinglady]

Yay! Finally someone you were looking for......

My job is to check for unanswered threads, so I wanted to post something to let you know you had not been forgotten. I would think, as you say, that most folks would be pretty open here. Sometimes it just depends on who is around at the time and if they see a certain thread.

[ajmich]

"My job is to check for unanswered threads"

Thanks, Payne! Huh, it never occurred to me that someone would be doing that... I gather it's to offer reassurances to us newcomers so we'll stick around? Good job, TY. Yes I am realizing that on the fringes of these threads, off the beaten path, there's gonna be spotty replies at best. Sometimes patience escapes me in this world of near instant communications.