#7: Collecting Or Compulsion? The Psychology Of The Chase

In this episode of The Collector’s Compass, we sit down with Dr. Aakar (Rick) Shah, D.O., to explore the medical and psychological layers of compulsive collecting. As a physician, Dr. Shah offers an informed perspective on how the same mechanisms that drive gambling behaviors — dopamine spikes, reward loops, and risk-reward psychology — are often at play in the hobby.

Our conversation digs into how the brain responds to breaks, repacks, and high-risk chase products, why compulsive collecting tends to fall into a “g ...