I'm 59 years old and I alphabetize words, short phrases and especially license plates. There are other weird similar things I do also that are hard to explain. But the alphabetizing is the worst. I catch myself doing it all the time. I wish my mind would focus on more constructive efforts. I count the letters by their beat/rhythm, and if the alphabetized version doesn't match, I go over and over and over until I absolutely have it right. And then a couple of times for good measure. And then next thing I know I'm onto another word or phrase. I'm not even that good at it! It seems practice doesn't make perfect at all!
I also have an anxiety disorder, depression, and am impulsive/bi-polar. And through all of this I am fairly successful, run my own business with two other employees. am relatively happily married with three children and two grandchildren all of whom I am close to.
I'm just sick of all the alphabetizing. I am happy to know I'm not the only one, but I still wish it would bloody well stop! It's frustrating and irritating. I've never met anyone else who does this and others think it strange to say the least. It just seems unproductive, useless, wasted effort. It doesn't matter if I am happy / manic, or anxious / depesssed, these letters and numbers are always taking up a big chunk of my conscious and unconscious thought. I so wish I could turn it off.
