Triskaidekaphobia

In simple terms, it is the fear of the number 13 in people. The fear was initiated by the Hammurabi code in Greek mythology. While 13 is considered one of the most unlucky numbers across the world, some people experience significant and severe panic and anxiety by the number 13. In this blog, we will discuss Triskaidekaphobia, what are the symptoms, how it is caused, and different ways and treatments to manage the phobia.

What is Triskaidekaphobia?

One might have noticed how several people avoid the number 13 in their daily activities. Several hotels and high-rise buildings don’t use the number 13 on their labels. People with Triskaidekaphobia often develop severe obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD, which hampers their daily lives and creates hindrances in their daily activities. The phobia is based on superstitions and consists of the irrational fear of the number 13. Often, several other psychological disorders coincide with Triskaidekaphobia, such as delusional disorder and severe OCD.

The symptoms of Triskaidekaphobia

The occurrence of 13 in a Triskaidekaphobic person is similar to symptoms of severe panic and anxiety disorders. It puts them in an uncomfortable position along with dizziness, dry mouth, ringing in the ears, numbness, confusion, higher blood pressure, and even hyperventilation. Some psychological symptoms of Triskaidekaphobia include fear of fainting, dying, loss of control, illness, and even severe withdrawal symptoms like depression and seclusion.

Causes of Triskaidekaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia is based on pervasive and old fear. Several people believe the number 13 to be unlucky because of the number of people present in the last supper. According to the Bible, there were 13 people, including Jesus, present at the last supper. The social arrangement is known as Jesus and his 12 Apostles. Judas, also known as the betrayer in biblical reference, was the 13th position on the table, hence the connection between unlucky and bad omen with the number 13.

Other mythological references can vouch for the number 13 to be a bad omen, including Loki, in Viking mythology, to be the 13th god. Given how western mythology has a persistent reference to the number 13 to be a negative and evil number, western people, over time, have developed a fear of 13. While some people use it occasionally, others have developed severe fear toward the number 13. In addition, there are several cases where Triskaidekaphobia in an individual is connected to their childhood and past trauma.

Treatments of Triskaidekaphobia

Several therapies have proven to help people with Triskaidekaphobia manage their fear and consequent symptoms. These include cognitive-behavioural therapy, Neuro-linguistic program, exposure therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and even different forms of medication. Even though the phobia is not treatable, it can be managed, and with time individuals can completely overcome the irrational fear of the number 13.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy consists of the therapist asking the client to amend different behaviours that could be relevant to the number 13. This therapy is short-termed, yet the results are long-lasting and efficient. Some questions that the therapist asks in a CBT session are what provoked the fear of number 13? The feeling one has while seeing or thinking about the number 13 and what an individual does when they hear or see the number 13. On the other hand, exposure therapy deals with the different stages of Triskaidekaphobia. The client is exposed to different stimuli containing the number 13 right from a flashcard to October 13th. There are several breathing and meditation techniques accompanied by the therapy to help the client relax.

Conclusion

Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13 in people. People with Triskaidekaphobia often develop severe obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD, which hampers their daily lives and hinders their daily activities. The phobia is based on superstitions and consists of the irrational fear of the number 13. Often, several other psychological disorders coincide with Triskaidekaphobia, such as delusional disorder and severe OCD. The fear is based on western mythological references, including the bible and Viking mythology. 

The occurrence of 13 in a Triskaidekaphobic person is similar to symptoms of severe panic and anxiety disorders. It puts them in an uncomfortable position along with dizziness, dry mouth, ringing in the ears, numbness, confusion, higher blood pressure, and even hyperventilation. Several therapies have proven to help people with Triskaidekaphobia manage their fear and consequent symptoms. These include cognitive-behavioural therapy, Neuro-linguistic program, exposure therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and even different forms of medication.