Superstitions about Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th is no more dangerous than any other day on the calendar, even though some people might think so. Some people think Friday the 13th is an unlucky day.

People who are superstitious stay home all day because they fear something bad will happen to them. Accidents and bad things can happen to people on any date on the calendar, no matter where they are or what they are doing. The fear of Friday the 13th is widespread. Experts say that fear affects over 20 million Americans and many more worldwide.

Every calendar year has at least one Friday the 13th and can have as many as three. Any month that starts on a Sunday will always have a Friday the 13th.

Bad Effects of Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th impacts the United States economy. It is estimated that businesses lose about $900 million in productivity every Friday the 13th.

• Some people are so superstitious that they do not go to work.
• They do not travel.
• They do not shop for big-ticket items.
• They do not make major decisions.
• They do not start a new job.
• They do not plan their wedding on a Friday the 13th.

Good Effects of Friday the 13th

Because businesses know how some people feel about Friday the 13th, they deliberately have sales and other offers to entice people to use their services on that particular date.

Something good almost always comes from what appears to be bad. Because people are extra careful on Friday the 13th, there are fewer traffic accidents, according to the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics. There have been reports that fires and thefts on that date are also much lower.

The Number 13

Some people think 13 is an unlucky number, whether it appears on a Friday or not. For instance, some cities do not have a 13th street. Some hotels and hospitals do not have a 13th floor or a room number 13. The number 13 is not listed on the elevator. Therefore, one goes from the 12th floor to the 14th floor. Eighty percent of high-rise buildings do not have a 13th floor. Some airports do not have gate 13, and there is no 13th row of seats on airplanes. Some race car drivers do not have the number 13 on their vehicles.

The irony of those places that are said to be without a 13th street, a 13th floor, a 13th room, or a 13th gate really do have them after all. They are just not numbered as such. The 14th of them is actually the 13th one.

Some companies have done their best to accommodate those who are superstitious of the number 13. The house between 12 and 14 is considered 12 1/2 as the official address. In Scotland, instead of having a terminal 13, there is terminal 12B. The 13th soundstage at Universal Studios in California doesn't exist.

Apollo 13 is the only unsuccessful moon mission that is believed to have been unlucky because it had the number 13 in its name. The astronauts returned safely to earth after the oxygen cylinder exploded, which made it difficult for them to survive in space.

The number 13 is not considered unlucky worldwide. Number 13 is not considered bad in China, Japan, and Korea. Instead, the number 4 is considered unlucky.

Triskaidekaphobia and Paraskevidekatriaphobia

The fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia. The symptoms for both fears are the same, and so is the therapy.

People with triskaidekaphobia do everything they can to avoid coming in contact with the number 13 because they consider the number unlucky. They will not have an address or telephone number that includes a 13. They are extremely careful on the 13th day of the month and especially on Friday the 13th.

Not everyone who considers the number unlucky has a phobia. Instead, they are just superstitious about the number 13. It becomes triskaidekaphobia and paraskevidekatriaphobia when the fears interfere and keep people from their work, social activities, and their usual daily functions.

Symptoms can range from mild anxiety to something more serious, such as full-blown panic attacks. Some people might need therapy because the fear is real and might have a bad effect on their lives.

Do you fear Friday the 13th or the number 13?