The clairvoyant revealed the secrets of the “sinister” Friday the 13th

Reasons for developing a phobia

The fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia.
Psychotherapists believe that the fear of this number is a superstition, and all panic attacks for this reason are correlated with a mental illness or disorder. Triskaidekaphobia often coexists with paraskavidekatriaphobia. And those who are afraid of Friday the 13th are called paraskavidekatriaphobes. The fear of the number 13 itself is closely related to historical and fictional events on which horror films are based.

It has been proven that the number 13 does not have any influence on human destiny. There is a single historical event when, in the 14th century, Philip IV tortured and executed members of the Templar Order on this day. Everything else is made up by religious leaders, whose speculations are not supported by any facts.

Fear of the number 13 is a far-fetched stereotype that not everyone can adequately relate to.

Religion and folk beliefs

Among church representatives, the number 13 has its own meaning, which is based on their vague guesses and modest references to the number in the Holy Scriptures and in pagan texts. But each of these facts is doubtful, so the reason why this number is taken as mystical is unknown. The most interesting of the guesses:

• Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th apostle.
• The infamous god Loki in Norse mythology was the 13th. He started a war against other gods, therefore he is personified with horror and destruction.
• In tarot cards, lasso number 13 means death.
• In Christianity, the fallen angel who was expelled from heaven, or Satan was also the thirteenth.
• Jesus Christ was crucified on the fifth day of the week - Friday.
• Among the Slavic peoples there is a belief that the most terrible witches' Sabbaths were held only on Friday the thirteenth.

Story

According to one version, the Templars imposed a “curse” on this date. It was on Friday, October 13, 1307 that the French king Philip IV the Fair ordered the arrest of members of the order. They were tortured, many were burned at the stake, others perished in prison. Legend has it that Master Jacques de Molay cursed the day, which became fatal for the Templars, and at the same time predicted the imminent death of the monarch himself. The prophecy came true - Philip the Fair outlived his enemy by only a few months, and soon the Capetian dynasty was interrupted.

According to another hypothesis, the roots of superstition go back to biblical history - Judas Iscariot was the thirteenth disciple of Christ, and the Savior himself was crucified on Friday.

Symptoms

Triskaidekaphobia occurs against a background of constant stress and self-doubt. A person experiences constant tension, which can develop into acute neurosis. Fear needs to be treated by a specialist.

Symptoms and signs of this phobia:

• convulsions;
• severe tremor of the limbs and trembling of the whole body;
• indigestion and sudden attacks of nausea, accompanied by vomiting;
• feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath, spasmodic sensation in the throat;
• a sharp increase in heart rate, attacks of tachycardia, a feeling of compression and burning in the chest;
• strong fear of death and loss of control over the situation;
• increased blood pressure;
• fainting;
• flashes of hot and cold.

You can distinguish a phobia from a sudden attack of fear by the completeness of sensations. Increased emotions lead to panic attacks and changes in the patient’s life (decreased performance, apathy, anxiety). Such conditions are not tied to this frightening day of the week; they can begin suddenly and last up to six months.

Despite their destructive impact on the human psyche, phobias are highly treatable. Especially if therapy is carried out simultaneously by several methods.

History of fear

The roots of this widespread superstition “sprouted” in France at the beginning of the 14th century. On Friday, October 13, King Philip IV (Capetian) the Fair, gives the order to arrest members of the spiritual Order of the Templars and begin trials against them on charges of witchcraft and devil worship.

The Templar community was completely destroyed, those convicted were brutally tortured and publicly executed. Burned alive at the stake, the Master of the Order publicly cursed the entire Capetian dynasty, and subsequently terrible events and complete degeneration really awaited them.

Philip the Fair chose the date for signing the decree deliberately. The fifth day of the week was already dubbed “unlucky”: it was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And the thirteenth number was considered “satanic” not only in France, but also in many countries around the world.

Of the many reasons for “demonization,” the number 13 is the most famous:

• the apostle and traitor of Christ, Judas Iscariot, sat at the Last Supper on the 13th;
• Satan is considered the thirteenth angel in Christianity;
• in Scandinavian mythology, it was the thirteenth god (Loki) who brought general confusion and enmity to the peaceful pantheon of 12 gods;
• The belief of the Middle Ages said that on Friday the 13th, devilish forces were activated, 12 witches and Satan himself organized a Sabbath, etc.

Superstitious people cite many facts suggesting that the bad influence of the 13th is especially intensified if it falls on the last working day of the week:

1. Back at the end of the 18th century in England, in order to combat superstitions among sailors, which brought a lot of difficulties to the British authorities, the construction of a large ship began at one of the shipyards especially on the “cursed day” (Friday the 13th). The ship was named “Friday” and was launched on the corresponding day of the week. Having sailed along the route, the ship disappeared without a trace and has not been found to this day.
2. It is known that the famous composer Rossini considered the fifth day of the week to be bad - like many Italians, he believed in the misfortunes that the number 13 brings, and eventually died on November 13, 1868. It's easy to guess what day of the week it was.
3. A number of terrible disasters of the 20th century occurred precisely on the “fatal” dates. For example, on October 13, 1972, a Soviet passenger plane crashed near Moscow, killing one hundred and seventy-four passengers and crew. On the same day, a Uruguayan Air Force plane crashed in the Andes, as a result of which some of the passengers died, while the rest waited for help in the winter mountains for more than two months, and out of despair began to eat the frozen corpses of their comrades in misfortune.
4. More than three hundred thousand people were killed by a hurricane in Bangladesh on Friday October 13, 1970.

   

5. In the 21st century, the fateful day of the week is already marked by the crash of the European liner Costa Concordia (January 13, 2012), on board which were more than four thousand people (of which 32 died).

And this list of tragic events is far from complete. Of course, the very spread of superstition eventually began to lead to the fact that many people especially note everything bad that happens on this particular day, and even expect misfortune in advance.

The popularity of the “Satanic Day” theme spurred the imagination of film directors, and in 1980 the horror film “Friday the 13th” was shot, which became a classic of the genre and gained wild popularity. Horrible images in the movies clearly showed how fears become reality, and finally instilled trepidation before the fateful date in the hearts of thousands of suspicious and anxious people.

Friday the 13th: why is this day so feared?

Superstitions and omens regarding Friday the 13th were collected by IrkutskMedia. Among them are friggatriskaidekaphobia, the mystery of the supposedly disappeared Knights Templar, biblical stories, black cats, empty buckets, a witches' coven and many others. We found out what an impressionable person should be afraid of on Black Friday and why this day has long been considered mystical and dangerous. Irkutsk astrologer Olga Ilyina, on the contrary, assures: nothing bad will happen today.

The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia (or friggatriskaidekaphobia) and is considered as a narrower manifestation of triskaidekaphobia - the fear of the number 13 in general. The term was composed of Greek words and proposed by American psychotherapist Donald Dossey. According to him, if you say it several times without hesitation, then the fear of Friday the 13th will disappear on its own. As folk superstitions say, on Friday the 13th and on the eve of this day you can do practically nothing except lie motionless on the sofa.

signs of Black Friday, 13 | Create infographics

The two most popular signs are remembered by everyone, even those who are far from such superstitions: black cats running across the road and women with empty buckets do not bring good luck. According to the laws of the American state of Indiana, on Friday the 13th, all owners of black cats, when letting their pets outside, are required to wear collars with bells on them.

In general, abroad they have gone much further on this issue. Thus, American skyscrapers do not have 13 floors, and airplanes in a number of countries (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavian countries) do not have a 13th row. Major deals are never concluded on the 13th.

It is interesting that the number 13, so disliked by Americans, is represented in every possible way in the US coat of arms: there are 13 stars above the head of the lion depicted on it, an eagle holds 13 arrows in its left paw, and an olive branch with 13 leaves and 13 berries in its right paw. There are also 13 red and white stripes on the US flag. This is due to the fact that the very first agreement on “living together” was signed by 13 states.

According to statistics from the British Department of Health, 50% more patients are admitted to London hospitals on this day than the average week. The police confirm that on Friday the 13th many people choose not to use a car, but the paradox is that the number of accidents on the roads increases by about 52%. Sailors do not risk setting sail on Friday (although, according to historical data, Christopher Columbus sailed to America on this very day), and in many European clinics elective surgeries are not scheduled for Black Friday, the 13th.

Where does this attitude towards the number 13 come from? There are many theories, some of which are supported by historical facts. The Orthodox Church claims that Christ was executed on Friday. And at the Last Supper there were 13 people sitting at the table, and the 13th was Judas, considered a traitor. By the way, another sign is that if 13 people sit at a table, this will supposedly lead to the death of one of them within a year. Today in Paris, 13th diners can hire a professional 14th eater to avoid this fate. On Friday, according to the Bible, Cain killed Abel.

Popular rumor also claims that on Friday the 13th, the 12 most powerful witches gather for the Sabbath, and Satan is the last to arrive. True, there is no information from objective sources on this issue. On Friday, April 13, 1307, the most powerful and wealthy organization in Europe, the Knights Templar, allegedly ceased to exist. One day, the Templars were captured and then burned at the stake of the Inquisition, some say.

In Tarot cards, the 13th card - "Grim Reaper" - symbolically means "Death", and in the pagan calendar the number of months was equal to 13. They say that the Mercedes of British Princess Diana, who died in this accident, crashed into the 13th pillar. On Black Friday, September 13, 1996, the popular musician and composer Tupac Shakur, who had previously escaped several serious assassination attempts, was killed in Las Vegas.

There is a story related to this superstition that occurred during the era of technological progress. On Friday, May 13, 1988, several companies and universities in several countries around the world were affected by the Jerusalem computer virus. Subsequently, other “Friday” viruses became famous: Friday13, Eliza, Vesna, Crash, BlackDeath, Codr, Fries, Search, VirDem, Omega, PZ, Raubkopie, Teapa, SLH, DataFire, but “Jerusalem” was the first. However, almost all of them are no longer distributed and remain only in the collections of specialists.

Meanwhile, Olga Ilyina, a specialist at the Irkutsk Astrological Center, assures that there is nothing terrible about this day and all the superstitions around it make no sense.

- On this day you need to set yourself up only for the good. The astro forecast says that the second half of the day will be successful. There is no need to be afraid of anything,” the astrologer assured.

Triskaidekaphobia is gradually being replaced by triskaidekaphilia, that is, the recognition of the devil's dozen as a lucky number, but this is not a new trend: since the Middle Ages, bakers had the custom of adding a free 13th bun if someone ordered a dozen. Italians consider the number 13 lucky, as do the Chinese and Japanese (while fearing the number 4, which is the sum of 1 and 3).

It remains to add that in 2020 there are two Fridays with the number 13 - April 13 and July 13. According to Internet comedians, it is considered a terrible omen these days if a black cat breaks a mirror with an empty bucket.

Friday the 13th in world culture

Literature

Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code" (16+), which tells the story of the Knights Templar, whose extermination allegedly began on Friday, October 13, by order of King Philip the Fair.

Cinema

A series of slasher horror films called “Friday the 13th” (16+).

Treatment of the disorder

Letting the disease take its course is dangerous. A severe attack of fear can cause a stroke or heart attack. In addition, in advanced cases, the patient can be dangerous not only to himself, but also to others. A qualified doctor will help you quickly cope with increased anxiety. The person will begin to live a full life again.

Help from a psychotherapist

During the consultation, the specialist determines the cause of the phobia.
He helps the patient find answers to questions about how to cope with difficulties and behave in a critical situation. In the course of work, the patient increases his own self-esteem and improves relationships with others. And also his increased anxiety gradually decreases and then completely disappears. In some cases, doctors prescribe medications to patients. To treat phobias, drugs from the following groups are used:

1. Antidepressants.
2. Beta blockers.
3. Neuroleptics.
4. Tranquilizers.

After taking the medications, the patient feels relief. Fear is dulled due to the slowing down of excitation processes in the cerebral cortex. Hope is born that the phobia has been defeated. Pharmaceutical companies make a lot of money from this.

Unfortunately, medications do not eliminate the cause of the phobia. After stopping the medication, the fears return completely. Therefore, drug treatment can only be used as an addition to the main one, which is working with a psychotherapist.

If the patient limits himself to only taking potent substances, he may develop psychological and physical dependence on them. Memory will also deteriorate and aggression will increase.

Psychological assistance consists of three stages: psychological education, counseling and correction. Treatment is a two-way process of information exchange. Most often, 12-14 sessions are enough for a complete cure. In more severe cases, the following may be used:

• rational psychotherapy;
• neurolinguistic programming;
• cognitive behavioral therapy;
• hypnosis;
• extreme training.

Interesting Facts

Triskaidekaphobia has spread throughout the world and affected many areas of people's lives. In European and American culture, the opinion that the number 13 is unlucky is firmly established. People go to various lengths in order to interact with him less:

• Many American hotels do not have a 13th floor even if one is built. After the 12th floor immediately comes 14. In cases where the floor is numbered correctly, only technical rooms are located on it;
• there is no 13th car in Formula 1;
• in many European buildings the 13th floor is designated as 12b. Sometimes they get out of the situation by indicating the numbers “12+1”;
• Most aircraft do not have row 13;
• in modern cruise ships you cannot find cabin number 13;
• Many Italian opera houses do not have 13 boxes or seats in the stalls.

One of the most famous triskaidekaphobes was the Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg. He was born safely on the 13th, but despite this he was terribly afraid of him. Schoenberg was sure that he was destined to die also 13. All his life he tried with all his might to avoid the devil's dozen. He even shortened the title of his opera by one letter to make a total of 12 letters.

Arnold Schoenberg convinced himself that his 76th birthday posed a particular danger to him. Since seven and six added up to 13. The composer was sure that he would die on that day. In the morning he did not get out of bed, ignoring the entreaties of his wife. He was preparing for death. Schoenberg did not suffer from any serious pathologies. Despite this, he achieved his goal and died on the 13th, his 76th birthday, 13 minutes before the start of the new day.

Experts are still arguing about whether the composer had the gift of foresight. Or his suspiciousness and the nocebo effect killed him. In any case, everything could have ended differently if Arnold Schoenberg had turned to a psychotherapist for help in time.

Mental disorders such as phobias are not harmless illnesses. They can make a person’s life significantly more difficult. In addition, they often become causes of suicide. Such pathologies respond well to treatment. The patient quickly regains his taste for life. Don't delay visiting a psychotherapist. The sooner treatment is started, the sooner a person will be able to lead a normal life.

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Friday the thirteenth or a killer combination.

Since today is such a day, it’s not a sin to enlighten you, dear PG users :)

This morning, many people on Earth will wake up with an unpleasant feeling. Of course, today is Friday, the 13th day, which has been considered “bad” since ancient times. A black cat, a broken mirror, spilled salt, spilled oil, the world is full of ominous signs, to which we can only respond by spitting over our left shoulder three times in a friendly manner. Superstitions still stir the soul of modern and progressive humanity. And most of them are primarily related to numbers.

Diocese of numerologists interpret the meaning of numbers and their combinations. These are bosom friends of astrologers, parapsychologists and other palmists. Thanks to their special “sense,” we are forced to fear the number 13. Numerologists themselves say that this is all Pythagoras, the “father of numerology.” He left us his famous teaching about the harmony of numbers and decided that numbers have absolute power over all events, over all living beings. A lot of time has passed since then. But adherents of the teachings of Pythagoras have survived to this day. They are still delving into ancient archives in search of manuscripts and books about the secrets of miraculous numbers.

At the everyday level, belief in the “magic of numbers” has long turned into an ordinary superstition. Despite this, the ominous combination of Friday the 13th still inspires animal horror in many quite sane citizens. They lock themselves at home on this day, do not turn on their phones and do not answer mobile phones. And they wait for this day to pass.

It's all Hitchcock's fault

Some believe that the root of this superstition is the Gospel story about the Last Supper of Christ and the Apostles, when just 13 people were at the table. There are other interpreters of the Holy Scriptures who claim that it was on Friday, the 13th, that Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit at the instigation of the Serpent, and that on the same day Cain killed Abel. In fact, the story of Black Friday is quite real and plausible. It all started 700 years ago, when the most powerful and richest organization in Europe, the Knights Templar, ceased to exist. Militant monks built roads, fought wars, and financed the construction of Gothic cathedrals. But in 1307 they disappeared from the historical arena as mysteriously as they appeared on it. One day, April 13, Friday, they were all captured, put behind bars, and then burned at the stake of the Inquisition. Many legends remained after them, their famous treasures were never found, and the usual combination of the date and day of the week, Friday the 13th, has since acquired an infernal connotation.

Today this story is almost forgotten. Dan Brown didn't even remember it when he wrote his bestseller The Da Vinci Code. It has long migrated to the collective unconscious and has acquired new myths and facts.

In the last century, a brilliant advertising campaign for this superstition was made by the great and terrible Alfred Hitchcock, who managed to appear on Black Friday. He saw a sign from above in his date of birth and began making mystical films. Today, computer scientists are constantly adding fuel to the fire.

“Until recently, from the point of view of the virus threat, Friday the 13th was considered a dangerous day,” Kaspersky Lab told NI. At the dawn of the computer era, computer pests had an inexplicable weakness for this day. One of the first viruses to target Friday the 13th was Jerusalem. On Friday, May 13, 1988, several companies and universities in several countries around the world “met” this virus; on that day, it destroyed files when they were launched. It became the cause of a real epidemic: reports of infected computers came from Europe, America and the Middle East. For this reason, some users then chose not to turn on their computers at all on Friday the 13th. But if you have already done this, it is recommended to update your antivirus programs. You understand, this is the day when pests can become more active.”

Psychosis American Style

The Americans turned out to be the most impressionable in terms of superstitions. It's hard to imagine, but 80% of high-rise buildings in the US do not have a 13th floor. After the 12th comes the 14th. Many airports do not have a 13th gate. Some airlines remove this day from their flight schedules. In hospitals and hotels there is no 13th ward and 13th room. And recently in American society there was even an opinion that a curse was looming over the country. Someone especially curious took a closer look at the one dollar bill. And I saw that the eagle on the right was holding a bunch of 13 arrows in one paw, and a laurel branch with 13 leaves in the other. Again, 13 stars are visible above the eagle's head. True, there is a simple explanation for all this: 13 stars represent 13 former British colonies,

which, united, laid the foundation for the modern United States. But where mysticism begins, common sense recedes. After all, even the US Navy refrains from launching new ships on this day.

As a result, every Friday the 13th the US economy suffers losses totaling $800,900 million. After all, shopping on this day is considered a bad sign. And recently, a new word “triskaidekaphobia” appeared in the vocabulary of American psychiatrists and psychotherapists. And the fear of Friday, coupled with the thirteenth, is even more spectacularly called “paraskevidekatriaphobia.” Symptoms of new phobias are observed in those whose fear of Black Friday goes beyond all imaginable boundaries and whose heart skips a beat at the sound of the electric kettle turning off. According to statistics, 21 million Americans suffer from this disease to one degree or another. Symptoms can range from vague anxiety to outright panic, which causes people to completely change their schedule or not go to work at all on the 13th, and even more so on Friday the 13th. One American from Massachusetts was even driven by fear of this number to get a divorce after 12 years of marriage. And after the 13th year, he married his ex-wife again. However, the superstitious gentleman still prefers not to leave the house on the 13th every month for fear of an accident and quickly flips through the 13th page in magazines. Members of the American Society of Thirteen for the Fight against Superstitions do not succumb to these fears and wage a fierce struggle against them in the United States. They meet on Fridays, the 13th, at a table for 13 people, spill salt, break mirrors and spill oil.

How about

Of course, no one can surpass the Americans. But in other countries they prefer not to use the number 13 in everyday life. In many hotels in many cities around the world you will not find room 13. And in the famous Ferris wheel in Vienna's Prater Park there is no 13th cabin. In England, in cinemas there is no seat number 13. In France there is a tradition: if 13 people gather for lunch, they put the 14th seat and seat a mannequin, which is served like the rest. On planes operated by airlines in Germany, Austria and the Scandinavian countries, there is neither a row nor a seat with the number 13.

Several years ago, the UN announced a competition to create a new calendar, which should replace the current one, which, according to experts, is imperfect, since half-years, quarters and months contain different numbers of days, and the beginning of months falls on different days of the week. All this causes certain inconveniences when recording and drawing up plans and schedules in production, financial and economic activities. Among the possible designs for a new calendar is the so-called universal mirror-symmetrical permanent calendar. Each month of this calendar consists of four weeks. Each quarter of the year begins with one more, additional

quarterly week. Each season of the year should begin with a quarter week: winter, spring, summer, autumn. Thus, in each quarter of the year there will be 91 days, and in a year there are 364 of them. In the “mirror-symmetrical” calendar, Friday always corresponds to the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th of each month of any quarter and year. This means that the fatal combination “Friday the 13th” will forever disappear from the life of mankind.

Maybe it will blow by

According to surveys, every third Russian considers the number 13 “bad.” Now more and more Russians believe in supernatural forces. However, according to experts, everything is not so “neglected” here.

“According to statistics, in our country on Friday the 13th the number of accidents and incidents sharply increases,” says candidate of philosophical sciences, psychologist Sergei Klyuchnikov. There is no scientific explanation for this phenomenon, because it is nothing more than a collective suggestion. People believe in a bad omen, thereby programming themselves for failure. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that this fateful day appears on the calendar no more than twice a year. If the 13th fell on Friday more often, this day would not be considered such an unlucky day. But the main feature of Russians is carelessness. We believe in superstitions, but we don't get hung up on them. We hope at random. We even love our superstitions and signs, we cherish and cherish these fears within ourselves, superstitions entertain and add spice to our lives. Unlike America, where superstitions associated with the number 13 are simply legalized, in Russia, by and large, people play with these superstitions.”

Children's City Hospital named after. N.F. Filatova wears No. 13. Despite this, neither the patients nor the doctors themselves are embarrassed by this fact. “I don’t believe in the magic of numbers,” says the hospital’s chief physician, Vladimir Popov. And from our patients who come to us, I have never heard this nonsense about numbers. And we have ward No. 13. By the way, it’s exemplary.”

The fateful number also brought good luck to Moscow school No. 13. “It would seem that we should have died of fear long ago,” says school director Olga Alekseenko. After all, our school was built in 1947 on swamps, and even immediately received this number. But for us this number became happy, as for people who keep a black cat at home and adore it. At all competitions and olympiads we choose number 13. And our students often become the best. And when something doesn’t work out for us, we don’t blame each other, but joke: “What did you want, this is our thirteenth school!”

Companies that specialize in the construction of luxury housing told NI that they are not going to adopt American practices. There is no such need. Even if someone refuses to live on the thirteenth floor, there will always be those who will live there with pleasure.

Muscovites do not hesitate to get married on Friday the 13th. For example, today 95 couples expressed a desire to get married in the capital. As Tatyana Ushakova, deputy head of the capital's Civil Registry Office, told NI, those who come to get married on this day did not choose this date by chance. As it turned out, these young people not only do not believe in omens. They chose this day deliberately because they either consider it lucky or want to destroy superstitions. By the way, on one of the online marriage websites there is a special chat for those who signed or are just going to get married on Friday the 13th.

And no one has yet turned to our doctors with new American phobias. Therefore, they treat both triskaidekaphobia and paraskevidekatriaphobia with irony and skepticism.

“If you think a lot about this topic, then you can see a hidden mystical meaning and subtext in everything,” psychotherapist, professor at the Institute of Psychoanalysis at Moscow State University Alexander Poleev told NI. For example, at the age of 13 we reach puberty. I think there is no need to explain that this does not lead to anything good. From this fact, if desired, supporters of the scientific doctrine of the “unlucky” nature of the number 13 can develop an entire theory about the joyless life of a person. However, none of them will remember her if it comes to receiving their thirteenth salary.”

Features of the development of a phobia of a mysterious date

The study of human phobias has led to the identification of many objects of fear. Some people are afraid of the number 13 and everything connected with it. This phenomenon in medicine is called triskaidekaphobia (literally translated from Greek as fear of the number 13). The name of the disease was introduced into psychotherapy by the American D. Dossey.

For an ordinary mentally healthy person, fears of mysterious dates and certain numbers can only bring a smile to their face. But the problem is much more serious than it might seem.

The fact is that triskaidekaphobia is divided into subtypes, one of which is the fear of Friday the 13th. This disease is called paraskaidekatriaphobia.

Causes and symptoms of triskaidekaphobia

Suffering from this disease most often are suspicious people who believe in the power of numbers and their influence on human life. Signs of this disease are detected more often in depressed, hyper-emotional and anxious people. The reasons may be different:

1. Poor resistance to stress and susceptibility to anxiety due to poor state of the nervous system. The phobia is more often diagnosed in people suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction.
2. Pathological diseases of the nervous system.
3. Character traits that originated in childhood.

This phobia manifests itself in different ways. Some people prefer not to leave the house on an ominous date, postpone their affairs, etc. Others refuse to meet new people and communicate with loved ones. Even a simple coincidence with a route 13 bus or a seat in a movie theater causes anxiety and fear in people. How do the symptoms of paraskavedekatriaphobia manifest:

• headache and dizziness;
• attacks of nausea;
• increased heart rate;
• hard breath;
• muscle weakness or tension.

Because of their fears, people become emotionally tense and unpredictable. The influence of stress can be so strong that a person is capable of committing an inappropriate act or even losing consciousness.

A person's bad luck has its roots in his thoughts, not in a specific day.

© Koldunova_Anna/Getty Images Pro

Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

This could happen on Friday the 13th. According to the American Psychological Society, unpleasant moments (for example, being late for work, an argument on public transport, a dirty item or broken dishes) have nothing to do with this day.

The fact is that your anticipation of an unlucky day can cause various unfortunate events. Some experts believe that only thoughts about possible troubles can trigger the mechanism of certain circumstances and behavior. So think positively!

Why are people afraid of the number 13?

In Christian culture, the number 13 is considered unlucky. Most researchers attribute this to the fact that during the Last Supper Judas sat thirteenth at the table. As is known, this apostle hanged himself shortly after the execution of Christ . For this reason, in the 19th century, a superstition spread in Europe that if 13 people sat down at a table, one of them would certainly die within a year after the meal. There was even a profession for the “fourteenth guest,” who was invited to a meeting in order to avoid an unlucky number.

Why people are afraid of Friday the 13th and how to deal with this phobia

Among the most popular horror stories of the 21st century is the belief in a particularly mystical and ominous influence of the day when the 13th of the month falls on Friday. According to legend, it is on such a “black” date that various unpleasant events are sure to happen. For tens of thousands of people, this superstition causes anxiety, and sometimes a real phobia that literally interferes with their lives.

What is this phobia called?

American psychiatrist Donald Dossey, who studied the fear of Friday the thirteenth, came up with an unpronounceable name for this phobia - paraskavedekatriaphobia.

The term was derived from the addition of three Greek words: “paraskeva” (Friday), “decatria” (thirteen) and “phobos” (fear).

The doctor’s own assurance, which sounds like a joke, is still popular that the person who can pronounce this word without hesitation several times in a row will leave the fear of Friday the 13th immediately and forever.

History of fear

The roots of this widespread superstition “sprouted” in France at the beginning of the 14th century. On Friday, October 13, King Philip IV (Capetian) the Fair, gives the order to arrest members of the spiritual Order of the Templars and begin trials against them on charges of witchcraft and devil worship.

The Templar community was completely destroyed, those convicted were brutally tortured and publicly executed. Burned alive at the stake, the Master of the Order publicly cursed the entire Capetian dynasty, and subsequently terrible events and complete degeneration really awaited them.

Philip the Fair chose the date for signing the decree deliberately. The fifth day of the week was already dubbed “unlucky”: it was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And the thirteenth number was considered “satanic” not only in France, but also in many countries around the world.

Of the many reasons for “demonization,” the number 13 is the most famous:

• the apostle and traitor of Christ, Judas Iscariot, sat at the Last Supper on the 13th;
• Satan is considered the thirteenth angel in Christianity;
• in Scandinavian mythology, it was the thirteenth god (Loki) who brought general confusion and enmity to the peaceful pantheon of 12 gods;
• The belief of the Middle Ages said that on Friday the 13th, devilish forces were activated, 12 witches and Satan himself organized a Sabbath, etc.

Superstitious people cite many facts suggesting that the bad influence of the 13th is especially intensified if it falls on the last working day of the week:

1. Back at the end of the 18th century in England, in order to combat superstitions among sailors, which brought a lot of difficulties to the British authorities, the construction of a large ship began at one of the shipyards especially on the “cursed day” (Friday the 13th). The ship was named “Friday” and was launched on the corresponding day of the week. Having sailed along the route, the ship disappeared without a trace and has not been found to this day.
2. It is known that the famous composer Rossini considered the fifth day of the week to be bad - like many Italians, he believed in the misfortunes that the number 13 brings, and eventually died on November 13, 1868. It's easy to guess what day of the week it was.
3. A number of terrible disasters of the 20th century occurred precisely on the “fatal” dates. For example, on October 13, 1972, a Soviet passenger plane crashed near Moscow, killing one hundred and seventy-four passengers and crew. On the same day, a Uruguayan Air Force plane crashed in the Andes, as a result of which some of the passengers died, while the rest waited for help in the winter mountains for more than two months, and out of despair began to eat the frozen corpses of their comrades in misfortune.
4. More than three hundred thousand people were killed by a hurricane in Bangladesh on Friday October 13, 1970.
5. In the 21st century, the fateful day of the week is already marked by the crash of the European liner Costa Concordia (January 13, 2012), on board which were more than four thousand people (of which 32 died).

And this list of tragic events is far from complete. Of course, the very spread of superstition eventually began to lead to the fact that many people especially note everything bad that happens on this particular day, and even expect misfortune in advance.

The popularity of the “Satanic Day” theme spurred the imagination of film directors, and in 1980 the horror film “Friday the 13th” was shot, which became a classic of the genre and gained wild popularity. Horrible images in the movies clearly showed how fears become reality, and finally instilled trepidation before the fateful date in the hearts of thousands of suspicious and anxious people.

Symptoms of a phobia

Many balanced and emotionally healthy people begin to experience vague anxiety before the approach of another “demonic” day, simply because a popular topic is actively fueled in the media and in the conversations of ordinary people.

We can talk about more specific symptoms of a phobia if on that day a person:

• prefers not to leave the house at all, postponing all his affairs until later;
• but if he is forced to get out, he will not get behind the wheel of a car for fear of an accident;
• does not make purchases;
• refuses to meet a new person;
• he is simply afraid of the “unlucky number” 13—he won’t sit in a movie theater seat with that number, won’t ride on a bus with route No. 13;
• pays increased attention to any minor everyday trouble that occurred precisely on an unlucky day, becoming more and more confident in the “reasonableness” of his fears, etc.

Just as popular in terms of the level of “demonization” as 13 is the number 666 - the famous number of the devil, the Antichrist, the Beast from the biblical Apocalypse. A “meeting” with him (the devilish number will appear on a ticket, “jump into your eyes” from a page on the Internet, etc.), and even on a particularly terrible day, can cause a fit of real horror in a superstitious person.

In serious cases, a person suffering from paraskavedekatriaphobia is so tense on “dangerous” days that he can be subjected to real attacks of terror and panic attacks at almost the slightest rustle:

• sweats;
• his whole body weakens;
• severe headache, stomach ache, stomach cramps begin;
• heart rhythm is disrupted;
• breathing becomes difficult;
• dry mouth;
• hands shake, etc.

A person loses control of himself and may commit an inappropriate act, even faint.

Additional Information:

• Only in the USA, on “rainy” days, store turnover drops several times, as people are afraid to make purchases;
• the number of financial transactions carried out in the world is significantly decreasing;
• people don’t schedule their wedding day or the start of their travels;
• Even in medicine, there is a belief that operations should not be scheduled on Friday the 13th, although this is mostly insisted on by the patients themselves, who are frightened by this date.

The clairvoyant revealed the secrets of the “sinister” Friday the 13th

The fear of Friday the 13th or “the day of trouble” is considered by experts as a whole phobia. In the old days, doctors even came up with a name for this “syndrome” - paraskavedekatriaphobia.

According to a widespread myth, thanks to a lot of superstitions, on this day you need to constantly keep your finger on the pulse and be, as they say, alert and ready for any troubles, and also try to beware of various kinds of failures.

If you follow popular beliefs, on Friday the 13th you are strictly forbidden to have weddings, buy and sell real estate, give or borrow money, go on a long journey, start new businesses, cut your nails and hair, commemorate the devil, make your bed, dye your hair , petting black cats, putting on things in “witchy” colors (red-brown shades - Ed.), spending a long time in front of the mirror and casting spells.

According to statistics, the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants - residents of the USA and Great Britain - are afraid of Friday the 13th most of all in the world. In these countries there are no 13 floors, as well as hospital rooms and theater seats with this number. Moreover, on some airlines, row 12 is followed by row 14.

Following the English-speaking inhabitants of the Earth, the French and Germans fear Friday the 13th. Even such famous personalities on our planet as Napoleon, Bismarck, Goethe, Roosevelt, Mark Twain and even Sigmund Freud himself treated this day with extreme caution. In general, representatives of each nation have their own myth about the “ominous day” in their history.

Clairvoyant Liana notes that the main horror of Friday the 13th is primarily the fear of this day. People often attract negative consequences themselves through self-hypnosis.

The sorceress noticed that those who do not feel afraid seem to drive away all the bad things. Only a frightened person expecting something negative is able to attract to himself what he is “waiting for.”

“Therefore, the main recommendation about Friday the 13th is not to be afraid of it. But how to cope with fear is a completely different topic and here the approach is individual. For some, it is enough to set themselves up correctly; for others, soothing herbal decoctions, meditation or consultation with specialists will help. It’s easiest for believers,” MK.RU quotes the clairvoyant.

According to Liana, on this day it is worth praying and asking for protection from your guardian angel. In this case, no dark forces will be able to ruin your life.

Previously, 5-tv.ru told why it is undesirable to receive guests on December 13th.

Experts' opinions differ

Sociologist Edgar Wunder from the Center for Parapsychology in Sandhausen (Germany) conducted a statistical analysis of almost 150 thousand accidents on Fridays between 1985 and 1999. Studies have shown that the combination of Friday and the 13th is no more dangerous than regular Fridays.

Dr Alex Scanlon from the British Department of Health: “Friday the 13th really cannot be considered the same day as all the others. It has been found that 50 percent more patients are admitted to hospitals in London on this day than the weekly average. It is also known - and this is confirmed by police statistics - that on this day many people prefer not to use a car. The results obtained can be interpreted in different ways.

Perhaps we are dealing with pure chance or some kind of statistical trick. However, you should not ignore the date being examined. It is possible that it really brings misfortune. Until an explanation is found for this phenomenon, we have to admit that “Friday the 13th” is actually a “bad day.” So it’s better to stay at home.”

Candidate of Psychological Sciences Valery Golikov: “There are two types of superstitions. The first is associated with common religious beliefs that have existed in various cultures from time immemorial. The other is our little individual prejudices. After all, almost each of us has our own personal rituals, which are so closely related to our daily behavior that they are often regarded as simple habits.

One cannot go home for a forgotten umbrella, even if the rain is pouring down like buckets - suddenly “there will be no road.” Another, approaching the house, will make a big detour in the car if a black cat crossed the road. The third will never sew a torn button back on himself, even if he calls high authorities, so as not to bring trouble. Statistics show that about 70% of the population of any country believes in all sorts of devilry.”

Cambridge University Professor Dr Howard Tills: “The current renaissance of superstition and prejudice is unmatched since the Middle Ages. But the reason for this is only in the unreliability of our era and the fear of an equally dubious tomorrow.”

The fear of Friday the 13th has a name

The fear of “Friday the 13th” has its own name - “triskaidekaphobia”, but there is no scientific basis for it. Christians may have some concerns regarding the number 13 and Fridays - this is a fact, although religions usually do not approve of superstitions.

The fear of the 13th is a common superstition, and there are no astrological, scientific or deep cultural roots in it.

Moreover, it was precisely 13 people who were present at the last Last Supper of Christ - he himself and his 12 apostles. Judas, who betrayed Christ, was the 13th apostle who did not come to the beginning of the meal, and Christ was martyred on Friday.

Some theologians believe that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit on Friday, and the Flood also began on this day of the week. Christians tried not to start new business on Friday and not to go on a trip.

But the Chinese, on the contrary, believe that the number 13 brings them good luck.

The superstition is harmless, but in 1953 the New York Times reported: “It is estimated that any Friday the 13th causes a loss of $250,000,000 to the country.”

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