Triskaidekaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia from Ancient Greek (treiskaídeka) ‘thirteen’, and Ancient Greek (phóbos)’fear’) is fear or avoidance of the number 13.

It is also a reason for the fear of Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia.

Ancient philosophy

The oldest known reference to the fear of the number 13 can be found in the Mesopotamian Code of Hammurabi, a Babylonian code of law that dates to approximately 1760 BC. The laws are numbered, but number 13 is omitted.

Norse mythology

When the Norse Gods were cast out, Freya has declared a witch. She was believed to meet with twelve other witches, making a total or 13, on the day named after her, Friday.

In Viking mythology, Loki is believed to be the 13th god. He is also said to have intruded on the Banquet of Valhalla, to which 12 gods were invited, making him the 13th.

Judeo-Christian philosophy

The Last Supper was Wednesday, the 13th of Nisan – the day of preparation for the Passover, and there were thirteen people at the table. Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was also the 13th to sit at the table.

Additionally, a witches’ coven has 13 members and typically there were 13 steps to the gallows.

Modern Superstitions

Omission of 13th rooms, floors, and decks

Many ships, including cruise liners, have omitted to have a 13th deck due to triskaidekaphobia.

Hotels, buildings, and elevator manufacturers have also avoided using the number 13 for rooms and floors based on triskaidekaphobia as well.

Experiences  of Triskaidekaphobia

Given all the references both ancient and modern, it is little wonder that people who suffer from this phobia may find it extremely difficult or utterly impossible to do anything that has to do with the number 13. While they may realize that their fear of the number 13 is irrational, the intense dread they experience from the number overpowers their ability to think logically about it. Their obsessive fear of the number 13 may somewhat resemble obsessive-compulsive disorder.

They will make sure that absolutely nothing they own or come across has the number 13 on it. They may go to painstaking efforts to ensure that this doesn’t happen. For instance, they make sure that the number 13 is not in their address, that absolutely nothing they own or come across has the number 13 on it. For instance, if they own 13 shirts or have 13 items in their refrigerator, then they may simply throw one item away so the total number of items is 12 instead of 13.

Common symptoms of triskaidekaphobia

• Intense anxiety when looking at or thinking about the number 13
• Fearful of the 13th day of every month
• Unable to own 13 of the same thing (e.g. shirts, plates, etc.)
• Fearful to go on the 13th floor of a building
• May buy something else if their total is $13
• Will only live in an address that excludes the number 13 in all parts of the address

Triskaidekaphobia Treatments

There are no specific treatments for triskaidekaphobia, however, those associated with the treatment of anxiety show benefit.

• Exercise has been shown to be extremely beneficial for people suffering from anxiety disorders, including triskaidekaphobia.
• Yoga poses can substantially benefit someone who is suffering from triskaidekaphobia. In part, this is due to the meditative state of mind that yoga tends to emit in those who practice it on a consistent basis.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a very effective form of treatment for people struggling with emotion regulation. It is often used to treat people suffering from a borderline personality disorder. This can also be very beneficial for someone suffering from anxiety disorders like triskaidekaphobia too.
• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an 8-week evidence-based program that offers secular, intensive mindfulness training to help people who are suffering from anxiety, stress, depression, and other sorts of mental anguish. This helps to put the patient out of their comfort zone, and increase their tolerance to anxiety.
• Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be quite beneficial for helping people to enter into a more equanimous state. There are many different ways with which you can implement mindfulness meditation and many different meditation apps which are designed to make things as easy as possible for you.
• Exposure therapy is one of the most common ways to treat anxiety disorders such as triskaidekaphobia. It can be an efficient way to help desensitize the patient to their specific fears.

Psychiatric Medications

• Anti-anxiety medications are very useful to help prevent panic attacks.
• Antidepressant medications aren’t only for people who suffer from depression as they can also help people suffering from anxiety disorders as well, such as triskaidekaphobia.

Sydney Phobia Therapy has an online therapy for Triskaidekaphobia.

We currently use a 3rd generation version for fear of 13 phobia therapy based on the original Fast Phobia Cure initially created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in the 1970s.

Now when I say fast, I mean typically one session only, no homework, and it’s content-free.

Content free means you don’t talk about it, and you certainly don’t tell me, because I don’t want it either. You’re seeing me online, so stay in the comfort of your own space and no travel time, to have it removed, not to see if we can talk it to death.