Scared of 13? You're not alone, the truth about triskaidekaphobia
Have you ever noticed that many hotels don't have a 13th floor, or that some people avoid making big plans on the 13th of a month? This isn't a coincidence. It is due to a fear that people can have, which is very widespread, called triskaidekaphobia. This rather odd phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of the number 13.Some people treat this as just a superstition. For others, it may cause real anxiety or even panic attacks. The fear of 13 is so widespread that it has affected architecture, travel, and some of the most famous habits of people around the world.advertisementWHAT IS TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA?Triskaidekaphobia means the fear of the number 13. Many people believe this number brings bad luck. This is why there is no 13th floor in some buildings. They start counting at the first floor, go to the second, and then skip to the 14th. You may not even find house number 13, or a seat number 13, on buses or planes in some places.
This fear is not always rational. But for some people, simply seeing the number 13 can induce anxiety, nervousness or discomfort.
Scared of 13? You're not alone, the truth about triskaidekaphobia
SYMPTOMS OF TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIATriskaidekaphobia, or the fear of the number 13, may not always be considered a medical phobia, but it can produce large and powerful emotional and physical reactions in certain individuals.advertisementThe most common symptoms include:Avoidance of the number 13 at all costsFeelings of anxiety or panic when one sees the numberDifficulty concentrating on work, school, or social situationsIn more serious cases, a person experiences sadness, panic, or anxiety attacks, including symptoms of:Chest tightness and/or rapid heartbeatDizziness or lightheadednessPerspiration, shaking, and/or dry mouthNausea, confusion, or shortness of breathFAMOUS PEOPLE WHO FEAR THE NUMBER 13According to Wikipedia, notable people reported to have triskaidekaphobia the fear of the number 13 include:Arnold Schoenberg (composer)Franklin D. Roosevelt (former U.S. President)Sholom Aleichem (writer)Stephen King (author)Nick Yarris (author and speaker)ngel Nieto (motorcycle racer)Herbert Hoover (former U.S. President)Mark Twain (author), though his fear may have been more anecdotal or humorousNapoleon Bonaparte (French military leader)Stephen King is notably open about his intense fear of the number 13, avoiding page numbers or chapters involving 13 in his writing.These individuals have shown varying degrees of fear or superstition related to the number 13, ranging from mild avoidance to more severe reactions.WHY THE NUMBER 13 IS FEARED IN THE WESTERN CULTURE AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY ONEThe number 13 has been considered unlucky in many places around the world, especially in Western cultures. While we don't know the exact reason, one possibility comes from the Bible, where 13 were gathered at Jesus' last supper, the night before he was crucified.Eventually, 13 gained a "bad luck" reputation, and when word got around, it became ingrained in our consciousness as something suspicious or even ominous. This superstition has spread to the point that many airlines go so far as to skip row 13, hotels choose not to have a 13th floor, and some cities even omit 13th Street from their layout. After the infamous Apollo 13 incident, space agencies became so frightened of the number that they stopped using it altogether.The belief in and even fear of the number 13 is not always a phobia. A true phobia, a condition like triskaidekaphobia, is an anxiety disorder that can be diagnosed. But most people who avoid or fear the number 13 do so either through superstition or belief, and certainly not with the same intensity as someone with a serious phobia.advertisementNotably, not all reluctance towards the number 13 is indicative of a phobia. A true phobia, like triskaidekaphobia, is a very real and diagnosable anxiety disorder. Most people merely have superstitions or avoid it out of habit or belief, not real fear.It's not just the number 13 that people avoid. In some Asian cultures, the number 4 is avoided because it is pronounced similar to the word for "death" in several local languages. A 2001 study even discovered that heart-related deaths in Chinese and Japanese Americans increased on the 4th day of the month. Researchers proposed that cultural stress associated with the number four may or does contribute to these patterns.Disclaimer:This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Triskaidekaphobia and other phobias should be evaluated and treated by qualified mental health professionals if they significantly impact a person's life.Trending Reel
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