October 24, 2024, 10:38 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day. A slight unease when looking at the 13 in the calendar is not a bad thing. For some, the date is even a welcome excuse for everything that doesn’t go smoothly on that day. But some people neither schedule important appointments on the date nor leave the house. If the fear of a date gets the upper hand, there may be an illness behind it. An expert explains.
It is one of the most well-known superstitions: Friday the 13th is a date on which misfortunes and accidents are more likely than on other days, isn’t it? Most people can smile at this myth. But for some, it is the seed of real fear. In this interview, scientist Lukasz Stasielowicz from the Institute of Psychology at Osnabrück University explains what can lie behind this fear – and gives a tip on how to combat it.
Overview
Why is Friday the 13th considered an unlucky day?
It occurs at least once and at most three times per calendar year: Friday the 13th. The superstition that it is a day on which a lot of bad luck happens is not based on a specific event. However, there are references in several cultures. In Christianity, for example, Jesus was crucified on a Friday. What’s more, Jesus and his twelve apostles were 13 people in total – and Judas, the 13th, betrayed him. There are also twelve signs of the zodiac. In recent history, many events, such as the stock market crash in the USA in 1929, occurred on a Friday (“Black Friday”). The IS terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015, the Costa Concordia shipwreck in 2012, and the volcanic eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia in 1985 all coincidentally occurred on a Friday the 13th.
Can a superstition become a mental illness?
The term “triskaidekaphobia” is used to describe the fear of the number 13 itself. The technical term “paraskavedekatriaphobia” is specific to the pathological fear of Friday the 13th. Those affected cancel appointments and social activities. Sometimes, they call in sick at work or don’t even get out of bed.
According to Lukasz Stasielowicz, however, many psychotherapists and clinicians would say that paraskavedekatriaphobia is not a phobia in the classic sense, as it does not meet all the criteria for one. This is because when we normally think of phobias, we think of a fear of snakes or blood, for example.
Those affected then want to avoid the object because they are afraid of it, even if they only see pictures of it or the word. They also show physical and psychological reactions. However, you can’t hide from a Friday the 13th – the day will come.
Does the phenomenon fulfill the criteria of a phobia or not?
Despite its name, is paraskavedekatriaphobia not actually a phobia? Stasielowicz explains: “We have two classification systems in psychology, the ICD system of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the DSM system of the American Psychiatric Association. And if you look at these books, which really do list a lot of disorders, you realize that there is no phobia with that name.”
Of course, it can happen that people feel really strong fear and don’t want to leave the house on the day in question. However, this reluctance could indicate the presence of another mental disorder. It is possible, for example, that the person affected has certain obsessive-compulsive disorders. These then manifest themselves through fear and avoidance strategies in connection with that day.
However, as there are many potentially causal disorders, this should be clarified as part of a professional clinical diagnosis.
Expert gives tips for overcoming anxiety
Stasielowicz makes it clear: “If it’s extreme, you should seek professional help.”
In everyday life, however, so-called weekly protocols often help, which are also often used by psychotherapists. Anxiety patients can use them to reflect on their day every evening. Asking about positive and negative events during the day often leads to people realizing that they are not only experiencing negative things. The same principle could also be used in the context of Friday the 13th.
So you might realize that nothing negative happened on Friday the 13th, but it did on other days. This would lead to the realization that there is no such pattern and that the 13th is no worse or better than any other day.
ADAC study on accidents on the unlucky date
According to a report by the ADAC, accidents do not occur more frequently on Friday the 13th. However, Friday is generally the day of the week with the highest accident rate. This is around 15 percent higher than the weekly average. The ADAC cites increased traffic from weekend commuters and day trippers as the reason for this.1
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What to do if anxiety about Friday the 13th gets out of hand?
Anxiety disorders can be severe and can also have physical symptoms, e.g., panic attacks. Professional help is often advisable. However, if professional help is not immediately available, other methods can be beneficial. Meditation or mindfulness exercises are suitable for shifting the focus away from the anxiety.
Through a technique known as “anxiety hacking,” individuals consciously contemplate potential disaster scenarios (“What if …?”). The reality is usually less severe than their own disaster scenario. And if it does happen, thanks to this strategy, you are prepared for an emergency.
Further tips and offers of help can be found at Deutsche Angst-Hilfe E. V.
with material from DPA