Paraskevidekatriaphobia
Is it just me or does everyone want the day off today?
Not just because I’m slack either.
Seriously, I think I might be suffering a little paraskevidekatriaphobia. That’s right, paraskevidekatriaphobia.
I went to school with a girl whose grandma suffered paraskevidekatriaphobia, which meant Suzanne, nor anyone in her family had to go to work, school or uni on Friday the 13th. Their Grandma wouldn’t let them drive, go to the shops or even jump in the pool.
And you know what? Suzanne’s Grandma wasn’t as silly as she looked.
On the internet I found a study published in the British Medical Journal in 1993 entitled "Is Friday the 13th Bad for Your Health?"
The study aimed to map "the relation between health, behaviour, and superstition surrounding Friday 13th". Its authors compared the ratio of traffic volume to the number of automobile accidents on two different days, Friday the 6th and Friday the 13th, over a number of years.
Incredibly, they found that in the region sampled, while consistently fewer people chose to drive their cars on Friday the 13th, the number of hospital admissions due to vehicular accidents was significantly higher than on "normal" Fridays.
Their conclusion:
"Friday 13th is unlucky for some. The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent. Staying at home is recommended”
Do you need me to repeat that? Staying at home recommended.
On the subject of Friday the 13th, there are some amazing superstitions. For instance, did you know followers of the occult believe if 13 people sit down to dinner together, all will die within the year. They also say if you have 13 letters in your name, you’ll have the devil’s luck. Count them, Jack The Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer. My maiden name is Terry, by the way, I’ll let you do the maths.
Not just because I’m slack either.
Seriously, I think I might be suffering a little paraskevidekatriaphobia. That’s right, paraskevidekatriaphobia.
I went to school with a girl whose grandma suffered paraskevidekatriaphobia, which meant Suzanne, nor anyone in her family had to go to work, school or uni on Friday the 13th. Their Grandma wouldn’t let them drive, go to the shops or even jump in the pool.
And you know what? Suzanne’s Grandma wasn’t as silly as she looked.
On the internet I found a study published in the British Medical Journal in 1993 entitled "Is Friday the 13th Bad for Your Health?"
The study aimed to map "the relation between health, behaviour, and superstition surrounding Friday 13th". Its authors compared the ratio of traffic volume to the number of automobile accidents on two different days, Friday the 6th and Friday the 13th, over a number of years.
Incredibly, they found that in the region sampled, while consistently fewer people chose to drive their cars on Friday the 13th, the number of hospital admissions due to vehicular accidents was significantly higher than on "normal" Fridays.
Their conclusion:
"Friday 13th is unlucky for some. The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent. Staying at home is recommended”
Do you need me to repeat that? Staying at home recommended.
On the subject of Friday the 13th, there are some amazing superstitions. For instance, did you know followers of the occult believe if 13 people sit down to dinner together, all will die within the year. They also say if you have 13 letters in your name, you’ll have the devil’s luck. Count them, Jack The Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer. My maiden name is Terry, by the way, I’ll let you do the maths.
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