Comments on: Arithmomania

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:55:57 +0000

Hi – I have an obsession with counting my steps in 8′s, and once the 8 is done I totally go back to 1 again. There is a distinct pattern for stepping on cracks on the sidewalk (1 is on a crack, 2 and 3 off, 4 on, 5 off, 6 and 7 on, 8 off) and as much as I try not to look down or count in my head, I can do it without even thinking it through each time. Coming down or going up stairs is the same. I always have to find the middle letter in words I see printed also – if it’s an even number I have to be satisfied that the blank space in the center is the middle letter.. Crazy! So I’m a choreographer and now I’m embarking on making a piece about arithmomania. This forum has been HUGELY helpful in seeing its’ other manifestations. Keep ‘em coming!!

By: Ariana

Ariana — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 03:18:25 +0000

Love this. I have language fixations that often center around counting. My compulsion can take one of two main routes: I either mentally spell each word I hear as it’s spoken or count letters that I see or hear. My favorite number is 16 — 4 seems perfectly symmetrical to my mind, so 4 sets of 4… satisfies something deep. A word with fewer than 8 letters I sense automatically (Chicago – 7. Clearly.) Beyond 8, I start grouping in sets of four. “Is this chick crazy?” becomes “isth isch ickc razy” I kept a ledger for a time with every combination of 16 I found but then decided that was really creepy and stopped. I also pay attention to vowel-consonant patterns, and rearrange letters to make new words. I do these sometimes not at all, and when I’m doing them truly compulsively it’s usually in a time of high stress.

By: Bree

Bree — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:42:56 +0000

OMG!!! I knew I wasn’t alone in this!! I can clearly tell you at any given time how many tiles are in my house (with a break down of every room), how many slats are in each set of blinds, how many buttons are on my couch, etc. My husband and I were at the hardware store, looking at new handles for our kitchen cupboards and he was trying to figure out how many we needed….. that’s just silly, he had to have known I already knew that answer (30!!!) This does not disturb my daily life, but I find it hard at times to rationalize why certain things are grouped the way they are. (13 bathroom tiles?? seriously?? how unnerving is that!) If i can count something that adds up to a peaceful number in my head, i’m done with it…..time to move on to the next geometrical puzzle. In retrospect, it could be something worse. I never do it aloud and it never stops me in my tracks….I just hope that I am actually hiding it well enough at times and people aren’t watching my eyes roll around sporadically, looking like i’m having a seizure!

By: Sunny

Sunny — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:04:08 +0000

My obsession is with 3 and digital clocks.. I will add/subtract/multiply the numbers on the digital clock till I get them down to 3…If I end up with a number like 27 for example, well 2+7=9/3=3. And if I have a combo of numbers I cant get down to 3 then I’ll count the dashes it takes to make up the digital numbers until I get down to 3. if all else fails theres always the : (counts for 2) and the dot for PM/AM. I will have my 3! Muahahaha.
and I have to do all this in 60 seconds before the time changes because thats a whole new set of numbers. This has gone on for hours till I fall asleep. I have to have digital clocks because ticking clocks drive me mad. and you cant just turn the clock around and go to sleep.. Who we kidding? we know those numbers are there waiting to be manipulated. Odd thing, I hate math and failed it religiously in school. Hope this helps ease someones mind and keeps them from thinking they are the freak.. because really.. we ALL are

By: Stephen H

Stephen H — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:54:58 +0000

I do the same thing! I’ve always thought I was crazy for doing it, i also count stairs as I take them, I like to count them by odd numbers, 1,3,5,7,9,11… it’s always special when a set of stairs has exactly 11 for some reason. On long road trips i constantly count the white/black/yellow lines on the road, you know from right to left its black, white, black, dotted white, black, yellow, black, yellow, black, dotted white, black, white, black. eventhough it always adds up to 13 (for a 4lane road) I keep counting it over and over again.

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:28:59 +0000

Hey there,
I’m Laura from Switzerland, and I have the same problem. I’m counting the numbers of letters in sentences, though, and pair them in groups of 3 or 4. For example when I read or even when I’m only thinking. But it’s not very distracting, I think my brain’s just bored. I didn’t know until recently that other people have similar (little) obsessions

By: Derek

Derek — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 01:22:41 +0000

I thought I was crazy and the only one who has this going on in hes life. I count things every waking minute. I tend to focus on corners. When I see a box I really see four and count it. (4 corners) What really drives me nuts is watching TV. I first count how many people and animals are in my house then add how many are on the screen. The number always changes because there is always different numbers of people on the TV. Therefor continuous counting. I like even numbers better than odd and if I use my fingers for fun I always have to end on my pinkie. If I don’t I just start all over again. CRAZY. I can’t stop and just live with it. Oh well

By: Judy

Judy — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:28:21 +0000

I am 59 years old and have counted for as long as I can remember. It has gotten worse as I have gotten older and sometimes it drives me nuts. I will count steps, lines,and shapes as well as I mentally draw the outlines of shapes. jacket and shirt collars drive me crazy, I will draw the outline of them over and over. Wish I could make it stop!

By: Sue B

Sue B — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:29:49 +0000

I have been counting for as long as I can remember and I’m 57. Sometimes it has been a distraction as in school or conversations, but not debilitating. I’ve never known anyone else that has done this same thing (I count things until they add up to an even number). Thanks for sharing.

By: almi

almi — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 04:37:33 +0000

hey there!! me too have the same habit…i tend to count all the corners or side og an object like doors, windowa etc…. wweeehhww!! its good am not the only one doing it hehe