Triskaidekaphobia, morbid fear of the number thirteen, more especially of Friday the 13th.
I know that there arein theory, phobias of practically anything. But does anyone know anyone with a fear of today’s date?
More generally, what’s the weirdest thing that you, or someone you know, is afraid of?
Spiders… I don’t know how people can be afraid of spiders
I’m not afraid of spiders, but I can see how people might find them disconcerting (although people going hysterical (i.e. my 6’4" brother-in-law) I do find a bit strange).
I’m thinking of examples like a woman I once knew who was petrified of electricity pylons. She used to plan her routes with detailed maps so that she didn’t ever have to drive near one or go under the wires. How she coped I’ll never know. Someone else I know will not use motorwat slip roads. She’d rather go miles out of her way than have to use a slip-road.
I knew someone who’s wife was afraid of making left turns while driving. She would drive miles out of her way to ensure that only right turns were made. Must have been hell.
[Walt Kelly]
Eek! Friday the 13th falls on a Friday this month!!!
[/Walt Kelly]
[quiz]
How many Friday-the-13ths can there be in any one calendar year? How few? Does every (modern calendar) year have one or more?
(I know the answer, I’m just trying to inject some mentally stimulating conversation.)
[/quiz]
Every calendar year has at least one Friday the 13th, and can have as many as three.
I don’t remember where I read that, I think it was one of Isaac Asimov’s Black Widower stories.
Did she live in San Francisco? I’m pretty sure it’s completely illegal to make a left turn ANYWHERE in the City.
At least, it sure seems that way.
Some of the more interesting ones from The Phobia List
Arachibutyrophobia - Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.
Bromidrosiphobia or Bromidrophobia - Fear of body smells.
Dextrophobia - Fear of objects at the right side of the body.
Dromophobia - Fear of crossing streets.
Ephebiphobia - Fear of teenagers.
Ithyphallophobia - Fear of seeing, thinking about or having an erect penis.
Pentheraphobia - Fear of mother-in-law. (Novercaphobia)
I find I suffer from at least one of these (the last one).
Pteronophobia- Fear of being tickled by feathers
This is kind of my point. These are all very well in theory, but does anyone actually suffer from them? I could sit here and think up a name for a fear of anything, parsed URLs, but it wouldn’t mean anyone had them.
In fact, that might be more interesting, can anyone think of any names for phobias that haven’t been (officially) recognised yet?
/recounting an anecdote hat ON/
Whilst employeed as a travel agent for a large midwestern hospital, I learned that one of the DOCTORS there had a fear of the number 13.
During a business trip to London, he learned that his business-class seat was in row #13, the last seat available. We assured his that there was another Doctor from our hospital already booked on that flight, seat assigned in a non-13 row, with whom we’d spoken, and would gladly switch seats with him upon check-in for that leg of the trip.
The non-13 row doc didn’t show for his flight. The fearful doc was TERRIFIED that he’d have to sit in row 13. He called our office to say that it was a few minutes before departure, the other doc hadn’t showed up yet and <get this!> HE WAS FORCED TO BUY A SEAT IN FIRST CLASS.
Forced?
Well, “forced” in that he couldn’t think clearly enough to have the gate-agent change his seat-assignment to the seat that no-show doc was holding.
Yeesh!
/recounting an anecdote hat OFF/
Well, I don’t know how easily verifiable this is, but on the site where I pinched the phobias I posted:
So presumably someone at some time must have suffered from them. And although I don’t suffer from it all the time, I can assure you that I definitely have bouts of Pentheraphobia. I can’t be the only one.
phobiaphobia - Fear of FDR.
Ooo I found mine…
Coulrophobia- Fear of clowns
But this one makes me laugh - Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. 
How about a fear of bottlecaps?
That would be pretty far out there IMO.
What the hell is with the people who are afraid of clowns? They are just people wearing costumes, fer crimminy sakes! I don’t get it.
I have a fear of being involved in a head-on collision with a white Volvo big-rig, pulling a motor yacht while riding my motorcycle. Anybody know the name for that?
My pet suffers from dyslexia and a Christ complex.
Clowns are very creepy. I bet there is a whole generation of 25-35ish year olds out there who are afraid of clowns thanks to Poltergeist.
I had a big, butch roommate whom we teased mercilessly after discovering she was afraid of…butterflies!
Papaphobia- Fear of the Pope
Peladophobia- Fear of bald people
Ommetaphobia- Fear of eyes
Phronemophobia- Fear of thinking
I think a lot of people in my class (indeed, anywhere) have that last one.
And I read somewhere that the fear of palindromes is aibohphobia-a palindrome- but it’s not on The Phobia List Xerxes mentioned.
One I heard of a long time ago is philematophobia (don’t ask how to pronounce it)… the fear of kissing.
Kisses are so wonderful, how can anyone be afraid?!?!?!?!!