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Suffer from triskaidekaphobia? Friday the 13th has haunted millions for centuries, but in the 20th century was a way to make loads of cash at the box office with a man in a hockey goalie mask at the movies. While Hollywood was smart enough to cash in, some mock while others are legitimately in fear. So what gives?

Friday the 13th Fears - triskaidekaphobia.

"They're afraid something tragic or ominous would happen," said Donald Dossey, a North Carolina behavioral scientist and author who said he named the fear.


Let's get the long words out of the way - Wiki provides the details and meaning of the Friday the 13th fear, "Triskaidekaphobia (from Greek tris meaning "3," kai meaning "and," and deka meaning "10") is fear of the number 13; it is a superstition and related to a specific fear of Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia." Whew, that is a mouthful.

Tri-State cites experts in an excerpt from this article, "Cure For Triskaidekaphobia (Friday 13th Fear)."

Dr. Bert Hayslip in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Texas in Denton says certain individuals are more prone than others to believe in a superstition like Friday the 13th.

Hayslip says, "People who are anxious, or are real dependent people who are unduly influenced by authority are the very ones who usually engage in this superstitious behavior like those that feel if you tell me its bad I'll believe you." Dr. Rex Northen of The Phobia Clinic in New York City believes people should relax today.

Northen says, "Friday the 13th by all accounts is not a dangerous day in reality but we've heard it is or at least we've heard in superstitious circles that something bad is going on."


The Huffington Post has a photos tour here of "13 Superstitions That Show Our Fear Of The Number 13".