Arithmomania

Arithmomania

Arithmomania is a mental disorder that may be seen as an expression of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Sufferers from this disorder have a strong need to count their actions or objects in their surroundings.

Sufferers may for instance feel compelled to count the steps while ascending or descending a flight of stairs or to count the number of letters in words. They often feel it is necessary to perform an action a certain number of times to prevent alleged calamities. Other examples include counting tiles on the floor or ceiling, the number of lines on the highway, or simply the number of times one breathes or blinks.

Arithmomania sometimes develops into a complex system in which the sufferer assigns values or numbers to people, objects and events in order to deduce their coherence.

Counting may be done aloud, but also in thought.

Pop culture

* Folklore concerning vampires often depicts them with arithmomania, such as a compulsion to count seeds or grains of rice. More lightheartedly, the muppet Count von Count from Sesame Street appears to be a fellow "sufferer".
* The protagonist of the film Stranger Than Fiction appears to suffer from arithmomania about certain things, such as counting strokes of his toothbrush.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • arithmomania — (n.) compulsive desire to count objects and make calculations, 1890, from Fr. arithmomanie, from Gk. arithmos number, counting, amount (see ARITHMETIC (Cf. arithmetic)) + Fr. manie (see MANIA (Cf. mania)). Related: Arithmomaniac …   Etymology dictionary

  • arithmomania — noun an obsessive compulsive disorder in which the subject feels the need to count things …   Wiktionary

  • arithmomania — A morbid impulse to count. [G. arithmeo, to count, fr. arithmos, number, + mania, madness] * * * arith·mo·ma·nia ə .rith mō mā nē ə, nyə n a morbid compulsion to count objects * * * arith·mo·ma·nia (ə rith″mo maґne ə …   Medical dictionary

  • arithmomania — obsessive preoccupation with numbers Manias and Obsessions …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • arithmomania — n. (Psychiatry) mental disorder of obsessive preoccupation with numbers; morbid strong urge to count objects …   English contemporary dictionary

  • arithmomania — arithmomāˈnia noun (psychiatry) An obsessive preoccupation with numbers, characterized by a compulsion to count people or objects • • • Main Entry: ↑arithmo …   Useful english dictionary

  • арифмомания — (arithmomania; греч. arithmos число, счет + мания) см. Навязчивый счет …   Большой медицинский словарь

  • Арифмомани́я — (arithmomania; греч. arithmos число, счет + Мания) см. Навязчивый счет (Навязчивый счёт) …   Медицинская энциклопедия

  • Count von Count — The Count redirects here. For the nobility title, see Count. For other uses, see Count (disambiguation). Count von Count Sesame Street character First appearance November 27, 1972 Voiced by Jerry Nelson …   Wikipedia

  • Vampire — For other uses, see Vampire (disambiguation). The Vampire, by Philip Burne Jones, 1897 Vampires …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”