September marked one of two instances of Friday the 13th this year. The date is mired in superstition, and many believe it comes with an increased risk of misfortune. While some people associate it with a famous 1980s horror movie, its roots go back much further, and historical records show that both Friday and the number thirteen have evoked fear across Western culture for centuries. Research shows that some individuals genuinely fear the date, a phenomenon experts call paraskevidekatriaphobia – a derivative of a broader phobia of the number thirteen, which is known as triskaidekaphobia.
Horror writer Stephen King is reportedly afflicted by the phobia, along with around 10% of the US population. People with triskaidekaphobia usually avoid rooms or seats numbered thirteen, but in severe cases, exposure to the number can cause panic attack symptoms, including breathlessness or chest pain.
Its source is not entirely known, though many experts trace it to a number of important stories from the Bible. The belief that Cain killed Abel on Friday the 13th, and the betrayal of Jesus surrounded by his twelve apostles at the Last Supper, all feed into the superstition. Additionally, King Philip IV of France is rumored to have slaughtered over 100 Knights Templer on the ominous date.
The Friday the 13th horror franchise, born at the height of the so-called “slasher” movie craze of the 1970s and 1980s, introduced a new generation to the phenomenon of paraskevidekatriaphobia. Directed by Sean S. Cunningham, the original 1980 movie is credited with cementing the sub-genre into the cultural landscape, generating countless similar films, and creating horror movie tropes used repeatedly across the genre.
Western cultures have uniquely feared Friday the 13th for centuries, but other world cultures consider both the number and day a symbol of good luck rather than bad. In some African cultures, for instance, thirteen is considered fortunate, and in some parts of the West, such as France, it was seen as lucky until around the period surrounding the First World War.
Research by the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, has found that more than 80% of US buildings do not include a named 13th floor.
