Unusual phobias

Who is afraid of clowns in the snow?

Hundreds of thousands of Austrians suffer from anxiety. Together with experts, we show you what you can do.(Bild: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS)

Are you terrified of clowns, snow, mirrors or Friday the 13th? Admittedly, these are unusual phobias, but they are more common than you might think and can restrict the life of the person affected immensely. Find out more about the background and when therapy is advisable.

Fears have always helped us to avoid dangerous situations and go through life unscathed. However, sometimes they become so strong that they restrict our everyday lives. When fears become pathological, we speak of anxiety disorders or phobias. These include very unusual phobias, such as the fear of one's mother-in-law, Friday the 13th, the color yellow, long words and more. Never heard of it? Just your imagination? Read on to find out what may be behind them.