Artimomania or numerological OCD: when you can’t stop counting

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is often a disabling condition that consists of recurring, bothersome, intrusive thoughts, impulses, or images that cause a feeling of discomfort. To reduce the anxiety and distress associated with these thoughts, the patient may employ compulsions or rituals. He DSM-5 defines compulsions by the following points:

Repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession. Behaviors or mental acts are intended to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared situation. However, these behaviors or mental actions do not realistically connect with what they want to prevent.

The cause of OCD is still unknown, but it is likely multifactorial. It is believed that there is a genetic predisposition, since 45% to 65% of its variations are attributable to genetic factors. In fact, research has shown that the heritability of this disorder is so high that it ranges from 45% to 65% in children and 27% to 45% in adults.

It has also been observed that the inability to cope with uncertainty, a greater sense of responsibility and magical thinking seem to predispose to obsessive-compulsive habits.

Now that we have a global overview of OCD, let’s delve into one of its most interesting variations: arithmomania.

One of the most common manifestations of arithmomania is counting numbers, words or objects.

What is arithmomania?

It is a type of OCD characterized by compulsion to count objects or actions and do mathematical calculations. The person may be overwhelmed by an irresistible impulse to keep track of the things around him. Those who suffer from arithmomania cannot avoid counting numbers, objects, words, or even stop repeating actions a certain number of times.

This OCD operates like any other, an uncomfortable thought (obsession) invades the person, anxiety triggers and actions or rituals emerge (compulsions) as a mechanism to neutralize it.

Appealing to compulsive rituals is the main strategy that the obsessive person uses to deal with their anguish. However, Although this may help you in the moment, in the long run it is very harmful and causes more distress than not to do the compulsion.

The most common manifestations of arithmomania

count words. The person can count the words in a conversation, in a text…Count objects. There are those who count the steps they go up, the license plates of the cars, the amount of things in a room, etc.Perform mathematical calculations. The individual is constantly doing arithmetic calculations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, among others.Count to a number before doing something. Before leaving the house, the person has to count to 50, for example.repeat something a number of times. The subject can look in the mirror 3 times, spin the coffee 5 times before drinking it, soap his hands 3 times…Avoid a certain number. The person avoids a number (this has nothing to do with superstition). For example, he has to wash his hands 3 times because doing so once would cause him too much anxiety.

Other examples of arithmomania are the following:

Count the elements in a box. Press the light switch a certain number of times. Do things a certain number of times and whether it is odd or even. Check that the house door is closed a certain number of times, etc. .

Arithmomania negatively affects quality of life

Like all OCD, arithmomania can significantly affect the life of those who suffer from it. This disorder can hinder a person’s growth and social development.

A study found a marked deterioration in all specific domains of the quality of life of the patient with OCD, including the ability to work and perform household tasks, subjective sense of well-being, social relationships, and the ability to enjoy leisure activities compared to community norms.

As you can imagine, arithmomania is limiting, since it requires constantly paying close attention to the environment. The most frequent consequences are the following:

Not being able to keep a job. Constantly counting will make you unable to perform sufficiently in the assigned tasks. In many cases, it leads to dismissal for poor performance.Social isolation. Since the mind is usually busy counting, the person is usually not attentive to their social interactions.Anxiety. We have previously said that compulsion, in the short term, can reduce anxiety. However, in the long run it only generates more.Depression. Feelings of sadness are usually recurrent in this type of disorder.

Exposure with response prevention is the most effective therapy for OCD.

Interventions to address arithmomania

Early identification and immediate intervention of OCD is important. What’s more, intervention may be more effective when the disorder is diagnosed early. Often, those with this disorder experience significant improvement in symptoms with appropriate and timely therapeutic work. Some even achieve remission (Fenske and Schwenk, 2009).

Exposure therapy with response prevention. It is a type of cognitive therapy used to treat OCD. Exposure with response prevention is intended to help the patient break the cycle of obsessions and compulsions to improve their overall quality of life. This type of therapy encourages the person to face their fears without engaging in compulsive behaviors.Cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of therapy focuses, among other things, on the cognitive distortions, irrational thoughts, emotions, and problematic behaviors that are part of OCD.Motivational interview. The use of motivational interviewing has been shown in some studies to increase participation in therapy and improve outcomes for people with OCD.Psychopharmaceuticals. There are several types of medications that can be prescribed to treat OCD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the preferred initial pharmacotherapy for this disorder. SSRIs work by blocking the reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin so that it is not reabsorbed back into the presynaptic neuron that released it.

To conclude, arithmomania is a type of OCD related to counting or doing mathematical calculations. It is a very limiting condition that affects people’s quality of life.

Dealing with OCD can be a challenge, both for the patient and their family members, which is why it is necessary for those who suffer from it to receive support from a mental health professional.

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