What are your repetitive habits/behaviours?

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Webalina
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13 Mar 2013, 3:04 am

Repetitive behaviors...let's see -- I...

...rock back and forth when I'm in a negative mindset
...rub the sides of my big toes together in a circular pattern
...count things
...trace shapes and letters with my eyes
...come home from work and play a few games of Spider Solitaire
...repeat phrases and words in my head over and over again
...bite my cuticles
...remove and rewrap my hair scrunchie around my ponytail repeatedly
...I use a Q-tip in my ears every day -- right ear, then left
...drink a canned Coca-Cola every day for breakfast
...DVR stand-up comic routines and watch them every day for weeks
...have songs going through my head 24/7

Until my lifestyle drastically changed, I used to --
...order the same bacon cheeseburger at Hardee's every other day all through college
...used to get up in the same way everyday -- clock/radio went off at top of the hour. Listened to the news, sports and weather and ALWAYS got up when the weather forecast was over
...tear pieces of paper into little bits



Biscuitman
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13 Mar 2013, 3:13 am

I don't have much of a repetitive thing but do listen to the same songs over and over and always try to drive the same way to places



rebbieh
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13 Mar 2013, 3:35 am

Since this thread's a bit active again I'll give you a few more examples of my repetitive habits/behaviours:

- I always do laundry at 09:00 am (the day might change (Monday-Friday) but the time's always the same).
- I always sit in the front row at lectures and classes at uni (can't focus otherwise).
- When going to university I always take the bus that arrives 20 minutes before the lecture starts so I have time to go to the bathroom and get my seat in the front row. Also, it really bothers me if I don't get my usual seat. Doesn't matter if the seat I get is the one right next to the usual one. Still bothers me.
- When I'm for example going to write an exam and I've never been to the place before I need to go for a "trial run" the day before. During the trial run I figure out exactly how to get there, how far it is and how long it takes to get there.



Biscuitman
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13 Mar 2013, 3:52 am

rebbieh wrote:
When I'm for example going to write an exam and I've never been to the place before I need to go for a "trial run" the day before. During the trial run I figure out exactly how to get there, how far it is and how long it takes to get there.



I have always done this to real extremes! Anywhere I need to be for real importance and I plan it out to military precision! have been known to arrive for job interviews etc around 60-90 minutes early

:lol:



FleurDeSurvie
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13 Mar 2013, 1:06 pm

Talk to myself
Take the same routes to places
Park in the same (general area) if possible
Listen to albums repeatedly till I “absorbed” it
Same breakfast, same snacks (will go thought periods of eating the same foods till I get sick of them.)
I pull my sleeves down over my hands when I am nervous
Rub my thumbnails (feeling the smooth top, not the edge)
Organizing things “the right way” aka…my way
Have to sleep with a fan on….well I have a whole pre-sleep check list!
Clean my teeth, floss a lot. They have to feel clean. Also have a pattern for brushing my teeth.
Shake/ tap foot
Spin my ring on my fingers

Have to sleep with a fan on….well I have a whole pre-sleep check list:
Fan on
Nasal strip on
Aromatherapy drops under my pillow (lavender)
Pillows laid our around me
Preheat the bed with electric blanket
Piles of heavy blankets. (I have to be buried under blankets



Webalina
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15 Mar 2013, 12:16 am

rebbieh wrote:
Also, it really bothers me if I don't get my usual seat.


This reminded me of another of mine -- at the cinema, I have to sit in the "middle of the middle" -- middle row, middle seat. That way I can get the full surround effect of the film. If someone gets to that seat before me, I get really irritated and it distracts me from the film. And I hate going to the movies with people who smoke or have to go to the bathroom a lot. They always want to sit on the aisle.

Another one --
The colors of my clothes MUST coordinate! Even on laundry day when everything is dirty and I'm wearing my raggediest clothes, the pieces still have to color-coordinate. And that includes tops, bottoms, earrings, hair scrunchie -- even underwear when possible.

When you DON'T get to participate in your tic or repetitive behavior, how do you feel? I get this antsy, anxious, heavy feeling in my chest. And when I finally do get to "do my thing", it feels like a weight lifts off me.



rebbieh
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15 Mar 2013, 12:21 am

Webalina wrote:
When you DON'T get to participate in your tic or repetitive behavior, how do you feel? I get this antsy, anxious, heavy feeling in my chest. And when I finally do get to "do my thing", it feels like a weight lifts off me.


Then I feel like things are "wrong". It will bother me and I get a bit antsy as well. Some things bother me less than others but I usually want to fix things so they feel "right" again.

EDIT: Also, it depends on what repetitive behaviour it is. Something like forgetting to do something in my morning routine a certain way bothers me a little bit but if I was to not go on a trial run before going to a new place I would get really anxious. Really anxious. So it varies.



anneurysm
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15 Mar 2013, 9:11 am

I tend to eat the same breakfast every day if it's available: though I have no problems switching it up if needed.
I often get very engrossed in certain activities, such as compiling lists of names, that require repetitive steps. I have no problem switching focus or activities, but seem to focus best when I am doing one thing at a time in long stretches.
I get addicted to certain songs and like to play them repeatedly.


_________________
Given a “tentative” diagnosis as a child as I needed services at school for what was later correctly discovered to be a major anxiety disorder.

This misdiagnosis caused me significant stress, which lessened upon finding out the truth about myself from my current and past long-term therapists - that I am an anxious and highly sensitive person but do not have an autism spectrum disorder.

My diagnoses - social anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

I’m no longer involved with the ASD world.