Counting when anxious?

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Does anyone else here count things and/or steps when anxious? I do. This usually happens when I'm around a lot of people/crowds, which I don't like. All the noise, people moving in different directions and just the people in general can make me very anxious and/or angry/annoyed. Counting sort of distracts me in those situations. I then either count my steps, pick a sequence and think it over and over again (1,2,3,4,5 over and over again for example) or I count random things. The other day I for example counted all the blue bikes I could see while on the bus. I don't always count things when anxious but it happens quite frequently. I count things when I'm not anxious as well by the way. I for example always count steps when walking up and down stairs or count steps when I walk between my room and the kitchen. Sometimes I also count random things (just like I do when anxious). Red cars, blue bikes etc. Not sure why.

Can anyone relate?

Sounds like an OCD trait.

Yup. Lots of counting. I developed a habit of counting the letters in the big words spoken in conversation. Then I got annoyed with myself for not being able to stop myself from counting. Not sure if it was anxiety, because I had a lot of panic attacks when I was growing up and took me years to know what anxiety felt like.

Yes, Ettina is correct it sounds like an OCD compulsion.

When OCD intrusive thoughts become particularly pestery my brain has developed a compulsion to start counting in 2's, "2, 4, 6, 8, etc." to "quiet" them and keep them at bay. It doesn't work and largely only makes both worse. It was a habit that started innocently but progressed to something more serious over time. Through conscious acknowledgement and hard work it has diminished over the years.

Some people find CBT and other strategies have helped identify and expel the anxiety and keep their OCD within healthy boundaries.

I count to reassure myself that time is elapsing and that the anxiety-provoking situation is finite.

I hum instead, but I've never been a numbers person.

Perhaps. Or maybe it's just a good way to deal with anxiety? A coping mechanism. I was, however, diagnosed with OCD a couple of weeks ago (though some of the professionals doubt the diagnosis) so the counting might be due to that.

IDK, Zen masters have been counting their breath 1-> 10 for hundreds of years as a way to calm the agitated mind. Just connect it to the breath & do Zen. Then it's legit.

Yes. I count things when I'm anxious. It's a distraction technique because counting things stops me thinking about how panicky I'm feeling.

I do this, especially with steps. I think it's a way of creating order among chaos. I don't only do it when I'm anxious though. I find it fun anyway.

No, I find it too hard to focus on numbers.

I definitely find myself counting when anxious, or I am a chronic counter in general. The ironic thing is, I'm not so good at complicated math, but with smaller scale numbers, I memorize them and keep them in my head. Or just thinking about the same thing over and over again, and thinking out loud are also things that I do. It may be something I'm interested in, or a silly little phrase that doesn't make sense, or a song snippet. Or I'll try to think of something funny, and keep on repeating the same phrase in my head. It could be in a crowd situation, or if there is something I'm dreading.

At work, I don't necessarily do it out of anxiety, but when I am putting the labels on bottles, I always count out 5 bottles to do, then 11 more. If I know I have a limited amount of time, I will stick to 5/7 bottles. It is a weird ritual/routine of sorts. At my old job when putting labels on envelopes, I would do something similar. I count out a certain number so I can be productive.

Definitely! Especially when I have some distance to walk. I estimate first how many hundred steps it will take, then count on 100’s and somehow get there. Or, if there are a lots of stairs, or doing repetitive tasks that are going to take a long time. My stimming is knitting, so I always count and calms me down.

My compulsion is checking things, such as the doors to see that they're closed or checking that I put my keys in their proper place. I think that's mainly for security, though.