[HairOfTheDog]

[Dr.Hilarious]

In my learned opinion, it means you like to count. Now stop obsessing over harmless things before it develops into a full-blown obssession and you're on a tower somewhere with a rifle.

Next.

[Michael Goldsberry]

Fine.

Quick! *snap* *snap*!

How many drinks have you had?

[Petronski]

Obsessive/compulsive behavior and alcoholic behavior are closely tied.


Get help.

[GSlob]

Maybe if you start counting them backwards, it would cancel your obsessive habit?

[jdm]

I have a similar experience with counting. I've always harbored a fear of choking on Advil, Tylenol, etc. and music theory plays an integral part in pill consumption. For me, there's four notes in every measure and the Tylenol must be swallowed exactly as the 32nd beat occurs (at the conclusion of the 8th measure). That's per pill. If I screw up the count, I'll start all over again. Therefore, if I'm taking 4 Advil, I'm lucky if I can get them all down in 10 or 15 minutes.

BTW, your OCD is far from uncommon. And, in addition, I'm sure you're brighter than 95% of the population.

A few resources:

http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-an05.html

http://www.adaa.org/AnxietyDisorderInfor/OCD.cfm

http://www.ocfoundation.org/

[politicalwit]

"Any of you amateur or professional psychologists care to comment on this?"

Hey dude, we are here for ya. You can count on us!!!

[hole_n_one]

I compulsively count everything I do.

Counting this one, how many vanities have you posted?

[motzman]

Pretty bad case of OCD. Everybody has it, but it's usually so minor to be unnoticable. I have it a bit myself--my thing is I cannot help myself from counting my money when I'm standing at a checkout line. I can know that I have plenty of money for the purchase, but I MUST count it anyway, usually at least three times.

It stemmed from an incident when I was a very small child at a grocery store. While waiting to checkout, Mom forgot something an left me while the items were being rung up. She hadn't returned when the cashier returned, and I went into an absolute panic, for no logical reason. I was only 4 or 5 years old.

Sounds, silly, but that's what did it, and I didn't even know why until about 25 years later. Since it's not really a big deal, I don't worry about it.

I'm also afraid of mustard; I won't even get into it.

Something from long ago is making you do this. Perhaps you fell down the steps as an infant, for example. Good luck!

[stylin19a]

hey MONK..is that you ?

[elli1]

Take two aspirins & call me in the morning.

[processing please hold]

OMG so do I. I hate it when things end up odd. If I'm counting words, and it's only a few of them...I count the numbers of the letters instead of the words.

[Rudder]

Yeah, you're nuts. It's called obsessive compulsive disorder. Get professional help.

[verity]

Simple. You are nuts. ;-)

[muggs]

I do this when I am under extra stress. Otherwise, I'm not aware of it.

I also have a mantra that I find myself repeating over and over in mind when I am under a great deal of stress.

[Mike Bates]

I know of a retired accountant who had the same problem. Using a combo of drugs and several therapy sessions (I know that sounds tedious), he feels MUCH better and rarely falls back. Good luck.

[bert]

what is the steps divided the the dishes?

The square root of that number might be meaningful when plotted for a month.