Counting Syllables

[SEA81 2]

When I was a kid, I used to have to count the syllables of whatever my teachers or parents were saying to me. Most of the time, I'd do it on my fingers so no one would know. Does that make sense? I noticed one of my little cousins doing it the other day, and I started wondering if it's an OCD behavior. I think I borderline with some other behaviors. Anyway, I grew out of that, but just typing this is making me tempted to start doing it again. Anyone else do this?

[panicstricken 4]

I count syllables also when I'm typing a haiku. I noticed when I'm not typing, I still find myself doing this behavior, until I tell myself to stop. I don't have OCD, but I did think it was kind of odd.

[shaun 6]

This is classic obsessive compulsive behaviour. I know someone who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and she does exactly the same thing. Her mind is constantly counting syllables when you talk to her, it seems like she is not interested in what you are saying because she is counting in her head.

[JOYCICLE 654]

SEA ! I did that for year and years and years and sometimes letters too. And did you find that when it came to a word like you're , you might break it into YOU ARE to fit it into the pattern easier? Like I had to end on 5, 10 , 15 etc. Had to be a full hand or ........idk.......just had to be . So I might even add an imaginary 'the' or 'and' to make the pattern work.

WOW do I sound like a loser just now. But I've never EVER heard anyone else say they counted syllables.

THREE CHEERS FOR US !

[SEA81 2]

Joycicle, you do not sound like a loser! That sounds so famliar to me. It was much worse when i was a kid (I went to a special class for "smart kids" in elementary school and the teachere in third grade was sooooooo boring. I specifically remember counting when I was in her class, but I'd do it just sitting around listening to family members or friends talk.)

[JOYCICLE 654]

Sea, you know what I realized after thinking long and hard on this after reading your post? That when I stopped......... was when I started smoking cigs. LOL Not a good reason to start for sure, but it just hit me . I started smoking at 14 or 15 or so and that distraction of the hands kept them from counting, but I did still times do it in my head ! tks so much for sharing this.

[SEA81 2]

That's wild! I've never smoked (other than a few times socially). I'm not sure why I quit. I can type REALLY fast, so I'd like to think it's all those years of practice with syllables ;-)

[JOYCICLE 654]

Ditto the typing fast. Hmmm

[Tecca_Nina 3]

This is actually very similar to something I have, that I have never understood.

Ok, how do I explain this. If I see a sign, or a poster, or am looking at a chalkboard etc. I start to count the letters on them in two's. I'll do this until I'm out of letters. If there is an uneven amount of letters, it bothers the absolute heck of me. I'll try to find a period or some other form of punctuation to make it even. If the amount of letters is even then I feel fine and it doesn't bother me.

I don't think I will ever understand why I do this haha.

[SEA81 2]

Tecca, I do the same thing! That's so wild! Even numbers are big for me when counting anything, but I definitely do it on words. It's not as bad as it used to be. I just can't decide if it's OC or if my mind is bored or what. Anyway, I'm glad to have found you guys. :-)

[JOYCICLE 654]

Yes Tecca , same thing. I sometimes have counted syllables or letters and yes things like " don't or you're" are always useful because they can go either way to help you come out even. I'm so glad for this thread. I'm not looney at all. I'm part of an exclusive club! Tks guys .

[Tecca_Nina 3]

Wow, there's actually other people who do that too. That makes me feel a lot less crazy haha. I'm sure you guys know how annoying it gets!

[racechick79 2]

I feel like I've come home on this post! I have done many of the things written about (or similar). I also used to do this weird thing when I was younger that I have also grown out of. I think I might have posted about this on a previous thread, but I couldn't go to sleep unless the first number on the clock could evenly divide into the second numbers. Like it would have to be 7:21, 8:32; 11:44 or something like that! Some nights when I was so tired it would drive me nuts because all I wanted was to go to bed, but I had to do it or I felt something bad would happen! Craziness!

[Tecca_Nina 3]

It's crazy how things like this can bother us SO much. What makes our brain do this?

[racechick79 2]

It's crazy how things like this can bother us SO much. What makes our brain do this?

I have always been told that it is because so many people with anxiety are the "perfectionist" type personality. Being that I fit into that category; when I went to therapy, my therapist explained that often times these kinds of behaviors are due to the control factor. When the world feels like it is out of control, etc, it is a way for us to feel like we are in control of something.

This is often why eating disorders also find their way into this kind of category. Control, control, control!

[vapidvector 1]

I am 57 years old and have that sort of OCD. I mentally (and on my fingers on the sly) count and spell things. Words to songs, steps, heartbeats, length of events in seconds, you name it. Count by 1s, 2s, 3s, etc. If my mind is not actively engaged in something it is off to the races. I have taken meds for it but NONE worked even in the slightest. I have learned to live with it and unless I tell someone they never know what is running wild thru my brain. Exhausting and aggrivation but I can't stop it.

[JOYCICLE 654]

Welcome Vapid ! I guess OCD 'ers like to count, eh? Are you good with numbers , as in remembering phone numbers, account numbers, etc? I am and I guess it's related to the counting thing. Also what happens if you are counting and run out and have a leftover number? That makes me mental !

[jonathan123 2367]

I think a lot of what has been said could be down to habit rather than nervous illness. It has become a habit to count syllables. If none of this is harmful then why worry. Ah, now there's the rub. We do, don't we? That is the beginning of nervous illness. We label it. OCD, GAD etc, etc and thus make it important. You could wash your hands all day and though it might be misunderstood socially it would do you no harm provided you didn't worry about it. As for grammar. I was taught the 'Kings English' at school (thus giving away my age), but is that so wrong? What on earth does it matter if we put' it is' or 'it's'? Provided no one on here speaks in a foreign language then fine. jonathan.

[Steve4AM 14]

if you count syllables you could be great at poetry, or rapping!  B)

[Kenintenn 0]

OMG!!!! I am so glad to have found this forum. I seriously thought that I was the only person who counted syllables. I used to do it on my fingers when I was a kid. Now, I do it in my head. To me, a perfect sentence has 15 syllables. In my head, I will try to make a sentence end on 15. For example, when counting syllables, I only go up to 30, and I can visually see the way 1-30 is laid out in my head. Let's say a sentence has 27 syllables. In my head, I will start the sentence at 18, so that it ends on 15. 18 to 30=12 + 1 to 15=15 for a total of 27. Does that make sense? I know I am totally weird for doing this. I also have a weird OCD twitch thing that I do when I'm holding the cable remote. I will touch a series of buttons in a pattern and keep repeating until I get bored with it. 

[rainbow 333]

Hi there when I was younger I had counting rituals. I used to stare at the sun a lot when I was in grade 3 and I had to count a certain amount of times thank god I didn't go blind after that. Than it switched to street lights. Than checking the stove a certain amount of times. Checking the door to make sure it was locked I still do but nit as bad . When I was little I checked 50 times for snakes under my bed. Lol ....yes I have a vivid imagination still do but trying to work on it in a more positive way. 

So your not alone

 

[Itsnotwierdright 0]

I've done it since I was about 15 and I'm 27 now. Mine always have to be in 5. Only 5 not multiples of 5. If it doesn't fit I try to make it fit and if it won't I just stop thinking about it. Haha. Especially road signs or when people talk to me. Also when I was younger I would always open my mouth really wide until my sides of my mouth were really stretched out. Obviously I would keep it discrete when I did it lol. Also I would open my eyes really wide and move them around as if they were dry. When they weren't. And for like two years if I grazed my hand on something I would have to make contact with what ever I grazed with  my other hand or it would drive me crazy. (Both hands had to touch the object) is this OCD or just being a weird kid lol. 

[jonathan123 2367]

Hi. Itsnot. Welcome to AC. .

We need to be a bit careful that we don't confuse childhood habits with OCD. Many kids develop habits that they grow out of but in adults its' sometimes not easy to drop them. They can then become symptoms of OCD. It's not the happening that causes the problem, it's the WORRY about it than can do that. I could wash my hands all day and not have the slightest problem, (other than sore hands), if I didn't worry about it.

OCD, obsessive behaviour is irrational So why can't we rationalise it away? Because in any anxiety related problem we are dealing with a tired mind and thoughts stick in a tired mind. We can't let them go as we do when well. You may find these thoughts come more when you are tired. Anyway, does it worry you that you count numbers or have this obsession with five? I don't think you have a problem, but you can turn it into one if you worry about it.  Good to have you here.    Jon.

[Iordaniya 0]

On 14/05/2012 at 2:15 PM, JOYCICLE said:

Yes Tecca , same thing. I sometimes have counted syllables or letters and yes things like " don't or you're" are always useful because they can go either way to help you come out even. I'm so glad for this thread. I'm not looney at all. I'm part of an exclusive club! Tks guys .

 

On 27/04/2012 at 5:58 PM, JOYCICLE said:

SEA ! I did that for year and years and years and sometimes letters too. And did you find that when it came to a word like you're , you might break it into YOU ARE to fit it into the pattern easier? Like I had to end on 5, 10 , 15 etc. Had to be a full hand or ........idk.......just had to be . So I might even add an imaginary 'the' or 'and' to make the pattern work.

WOW do I sound like a loser just now. But I've never EVER heard anyone else say they counted syllables.

THREE CHEERS FOR US !

I know I'm maybe 4 years late on this! But I genuinely thought I was the only one. It's 03:06 am and I'm watching a TV show and I found myself counting out the letters to what what the characters were saying. I counted them on my fingers and I felt compulsed to like you said to add or break down stuff to fit the pattern of 5! If a sentence doesn't add to a multiple of five. I'd even spell out the word full stop to make it fit. If it didn't fit the pattern I'd get so annoyed and have to so something until it was right!!!!  Is there any explanation for this at all??!!

[JOYCICLE 654]

Yes, Lord......... it's OCD !  Finding patterns and rhythms in the madness that surrounds us !