In one instance, when she learned that her mother was on her way home from the airport, Annie’s mind shifted to a familiar obsessive thought: “ What if mom gets into an accident?”Īnnie felt the pit of anxiety in her stomach and noticed her heart beating faster. ![]() One person I’ve worked with in therapy-let’s call her Annie-saw her Counting OCD triggered when she feared her mother would get in a car accident during her commute home. For example, if you assign special meaning to the number three, you might count your steps by threes, or lock and unlock your car three times before driving, or any variety of other actions ruled by this “magic number.” In some cases, people may feel a responsibility to prevent something bad from happening to themselves or to others and they count to try and guarantee safety-even though they know it doesn’t make sense.Įffective, specialized OCD therapy is here Learn more Sometimes Counting OCD is driven by attaching meaning to particular numbers where certain numbers will induce anxiety, while others will reduce anxiety. ![]() Sometimes the counting is automatic – without thinking about it, a person finds themselves counting random things around them. People with Counting OCD count for a variety of reasons. People with Counting OCD may count to achieve a state of feeling “right” or “good” and to avoid the anxiety of something feeling “wrong” or “off.” Common Reasons for Counting OCD Ever found yourself regularly counting the number of steps you take, counting and recounting the number of items in your grocery cart, or holding out for the clock to switch to a particular time to perform a certain task? These behaviors could all be a sign of Counting OCD, sometimes referred to as arithmomania.Ĭounting OCD is a common form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, characterized by a strong urge to engage in repetitive and ritualistic counting behaviors.
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