probably!

maybe because sideways, it stands for infinity and maybe the thought of "forever" haunts them.

Wow, I've never heard of this before so I wouldn't know what causes it. I love the number 8. It isn't lucky for me or anything but I love it because once it's turned on its side it's infinity and I have an infinity tattoo on my ankle.

from http://www.changethatsrightnow.com/problem_detail.asp?SDID=525:1725 Like all fears and phobias, octophobia is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. At some point in your past, there was likely an event linking the figure 8 and emotional trauma. Whilst the original catalyst may have been a real-life scare of some kind, the condition can also be triggered by myriad, benign events like movies, TV, or perhaps seeing someone else experience trauma. But so long as the negative association is powerful enough, the unconscious mind thinks: "Ahh, this whole thing is very dangerous. How do I keep myself from getting in this kind of situation again? I know, I'll attach terrible feelings to the figure 8, that way I'll steer clear in future and so be safe." Just like that octophobia is born. Attaching emotions to situations is one of the primary ways that humans learn. Sometimes we just get the wiring wrong. The actual phobia manifests itself in different ways. Some sufferers experience it almost all the time, others just in response to direct stimuli. Everyone has their own unique formula for when and how to feel bad.

having A bad experiece with the number 8