Numberwang
My friend Emma is afraid of certain numbers. She can't sit in a room knowing that the TV volume is set to a "wrong" number.

"Right" numbers are even numbers and multiples of 5 and if she knows that it's not set properly she'll have to change it or leave the room. This can apply to volume controllers, air conditioning with digital displays, anything with a scale that shows up in numbers.

She also only gets up in the morning when the time ends in 5 or 0. Are we right to tease her about this or is it "normal"?
( e.m.m.y. foxtrot uniform charlie kilo india tango, Thu 10 Apr 2008, 14:52, 8 replies)

don't tease her
it's not that bizarre. Numbers are useful. When I get stressed I count to 12. Sometimes I count down again as well, if things are really bad.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Thu 10 Apr 2008, 14:54, closed)

Why 12?
Is 10 not enough? ;)
( e.m.m.y. foxtrot uniform charlie kilo india tango, Thu 10 Apr 2008, 15:01, closed)

it actually sounds like she has an OCD
my friend was like this and we always thought she was a bit mental, we would take the piss and laugh and stuff and she would laugh along with us until one day she actually went from laughing with us to mental breakdown and full confession that these things rule her life far more than she lets on.

Just make sure she knows you mean it lovelingly
( Mrs.Sp@m, Thu 10 Apr 2008, 15:03, closed)

*shrugs* - 12 is just a better number. It works better.
It does sound like OCD - it's treatable, if she's worried by it.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Thu 10 Apr 2008, 15:12, closed)

Erm
I don't have to do this in the OCD sense but I always will. Even numbers still irritate me though; it HAS to be a multiple of five.
( Gleeballs is mostly made out of chocolate and hate., Thu 10 Apr 2008, 16:25, closed)

OCD
is a form of anxiety; if its a MAJOR problem, see a GP and they will (hopefully) refer you to someone who can help - It is treatable.
(kitescreech still here, Fri 11 Apr 2008, 12:31, closed)

I am similar(ish)
Even numbers or numbers divisible by 17. No, I have no idea why 17......
(Pork2311, Fri 11 Apr 2008, 12:48, closed)

I have a friend (really!)...
...who would only set his alarm clock to times where the last digit was NOT a zero or a five.

His logic was that if, say, the alarm went off at 6:00, in his stupor he'd still be able to easily figure "If I hit snooze...it'll go off again at 6:09...I still won't be late...zzzzz". But if he set it for say 5:58, it would be harder for him to add 9 minutes to that, and thus the extra brainpower required to do so would wake him up.

I have stolen his idea, and been using it over 15 years now.
(chase, Fri 11 Apr 2008, 21:01, closed)