• Replies 23 replies
  • Subscribers 9 subscribers
  • Views 3852 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Arithmomania - Not often mentioned here - Am I the only one diagnosed with it?

Ben

I have a diagnosis of ASC, OCD and Arithmomania. 

I've discussed ASC at some length on the threads here, but Arithmomania has only come up a few times - and quite some time ago.

Am I the only one here who compulsively counts? When I'm stressed I need to count the number of letters in words, especially the longer ones. I count them forwards and then backwards.  It's a damned nuisance but just has to be done.... over and over again.  When stressed, I will repeatedly count up to a hundred and back again to zero. I never do actual arithmetic, just counting.

Am I alone?

Ben

Parents

  • I count stuff all the time and nothing can have the same value as something else. 
    I don’t count or increase/decrease numbers in my head, but I am counting the amount of times I do certain things. I put anything I can into a squirt bottle, so I can count how many specific pumps to use and do the same amount. I also will count steps as I’m walking. Im very very aware of numbers, and notice them all around me and do things accordingly. (am awful at maths though!) 

    I did always assume this was an OCD thing and not an autism thing? I don’t know how to differentiate! 

Reply

  • I count stuff all the time and nothing can have the same value as something else. 
    I don’t count or increase/decrease numbers in my head, but I am counting the amount of times I do certain things. I put anything I can into a squirt bottle, so I can count how many specific pumps to use and do the same amount. I also will count steps as I’m walking. Im very very aware of numbers, and notice them all around me and do things accordingly. (am awful at maths though!) 

    I did always assume this was an OCD thing and not an autism thing? I don’t know how to differentiate! 

Children
  • in reply to Sloan

    Sloan, I was diagnosed simultaneously with the three conditions I list in my opening post. It was after a pretty lengthy and comprehensive assessment process, so I don't attempt to differentiate.   I think that as the conditions overlap one another, there is not much point in trying.

    Ben