This forum is brilliant! I've been an obsessive counter for years and thought I was just a weirdo...so relieved and totally fascinated to know I'm not the only one!
I count EVERYTHING I see and get annoyed if it doesn't add up to a number I like...7 & 13 are my favourites and also any multiples of 5 or 10.
When I count the number of letters in a word or sentence, if the 5th or 10th number is a vowel I have to rearrange the letters in my head so the 5th or 10th number 'lands on' a letter like T or P which I consider 'solid' letters...how weird is that?!!
I do this really quickly though and can have a conversation with someone whilst secretly doing all this is in my head. If I mess up and know I've miscounted, I remember the sentence or word and have a recount, sometimes tapping my fingers to help or saying the letters under my breath really quietly.
When I'm driving, I have to add up all the number plates around me and get a bit panicky if a car pulls away before I've added it all up.
And going to the extreme, I even count the number of 'pen strokes' per letter - so A would have 3, L has 2, M has 4 etc and after I've counted the number of letters in a word, I go back and then count the number of pen strokes I would make if I was writing it down (if I have the time!)
You would think that all of this takes ages, but I can do it in seconds and don't really put much thought to it, it just happens.
Strange.
Thanks for sharing guys!
