Photography addiction is a serious condition that afflicts people of all ages in all parts of the world. It is notoriously indiscriminate, affecting girls, boys, men and women equally, regardless of race, color or creed. There is no known cure and the only recourse for family and friends of victims is to treat the symptoms. Unfortunately, treatment is generally costly, time-consuming and invariably leads to a downward spiral into the depths of the photographic abyss.

As a hopeless addict, I've decided to raise awareness of this awful affliction and try to help others recognize the warning signs, in the hope that some less-advanced cases might be saved. Here are a few of the most common signs that you or your loved one might be a photography addict:

1. Your camera bag is a more valuable asset than your IRA.

2. The size of the "Pictures" folder on your computer hard drive is measured in gigabytes.

3. You have more Facebook albums than Facebook friends.

4. Your mood improves when clouds appear.

5. You trip often because you're not looking where you're going.

6. Your choice of smart phones is based solely on megapixels.

7. You rearrange your food to improve composition.

8. Your friends and family hide when you reach into a bag or backpack.

9. You've yelled at a sports official for blocking your shot or photobombing.

10. You never know what the score of the game is.

11. You don't understand the metric system, but use the word "millimeter" often.

12. Walking the dog takes 2 hours, but you only cover 6 blocks.

13. You've thought the sunset you were watching with your honey could use more saturation.

14. Your neighbors no longer call the police when you're wandering around the neighborhood in the middle of the night.

15. No one is surprised to find you in weird positions, in strange places.

16. Your friends only know what half of your face looks like.

17. You count like this: 22, 16, 11, 8, 5.6, 4, 2.8, 2, 1.4.

18. You realize that the sequence above isn't backward.

19. You've found yourself standing in the middle of traffic without realizing it.

20. You answer questions about your objectives with numbers (in millimeters).

If five or more of the items above apply to you, you may be an addiction risk. If more than half of them apply, you are undoubtedly at risk of becoming permanently and irreversibly addicted. If, heavens forbid, you recognized all 20 of these signs, you, like me, are probably far beyond any hope of saving.

(Success Tip: The easiest way to learn photography when you have little time to spare)

For those of you in the first two categories, there may still be hope! If you believe you or a loved one might be at risk, simply call 1-800-PIC-ANON to learn how you can donate all photographic equipment to a needy photographer who's already in over his head: me. Don't wait until it's too late for you, too! Save yourself from this horrific condition today!

Article by Dana Crandell