Dealing with Irrational Anger Towards Numbers

it’s so validating to hear someone with a similar reaction. all i can offer you advice wise, is to breathe deeply and realize that there are some things you simply cannot control.

i do the same. it must ALWAYS be even numbers and i get excessively angry when it isn’t. im the same way with colors. certain color= bad and others are good.

I struggle with this whenever anyone is in the car. I need my speakers at exactly half volume which tends to bother my partner. I’ve started keeping the radio off when I have passengers in the car to avoid my compulsion being triggered.

I have a couple suggestions that have worked for me: If it’s not a huge issue then perhaps you can mention that you’d like to turn up/down the volume? And causally change it to the number you like. I’ve had some OCD anxieties that were just easier to “cave into” than try to fix. Of course the caveat to that is that it cannot be distressing to me or prevent me from doing something that I need to do. For example since I was 7 I would ALWAYS start walking up the stairs with my left foot instead of my right. Over 21 years later and I still do that. Sure I could try to use my right but it’s not hurting me in any way to just start on my left. In your case it doesn’t sound like a huge deal to adjust the volume one notch, however, if you feel like you *have* to do it a certain amount of times or until it feels “just right,” then maybe try to challenge yourself to tolerate that anxiety of not having it just right. I hope this helps!

OH MY GOD WE HAVE RHE SAME NUMBERS im fr gonna lose it rn lol ill never met someone w the exact same

ME TOO except 2, 3, 5, and 0. i usually just internalize it ik that’s not healthy but I’ll ask to turn the volume up or down until the number is one of those

I dose not sound weird to me I have the same problem with the same numbers. If the person your riding with is a friend or family member, I just voice my concern, having to change the volume or channel one number up or down is not a huge deal. If they love and care about you, in my experience they don’t care. My family has adjusted to my needs and often do the volume thing on their own. If they don’t I don’t say anything and just change it myself and they haven’t ever gotten mad at me. If you are in an Uber, you can ask if you feel comfortable and unless they are an ass they will probably oblige. You don’t have to be ashamed of you little quirks. There are supportive people out there and in my opinion they are the people you should surround yourself with. I hop this helped a little☺️good luck💕 -Claire