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Friday the 13th: Scared or superstitious?

The date is considered unlucky, but Dr. Gail Saltz, a “Today” contributor and a psychiatrist, says if you don’t leave your home, you may have a phobia.
/ Source: TODAY

Friday the 13th has been considered unlucky in English-speaking communities for centuries. For many, this is a superstition. But some people are so afraid of this date that they will not even leave their homes on this day. They’re not just superstitious, they have a phobia. Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13, while paraskavedekatriaphobia is fear of Friday the 13th.

Of course, everyone feels afraid of things or situations at some time. Fear is Mother Nature’s way of reminding us that there are dangers in the world and that we may need to protect ourselves and be careful. A phobia, on the other hand, is an excessive fear of an object, situation, or circumstance. It is an irrational fear, which causes the person to avoid the object or situation altogether. In fact, the person may even panic at mere thought of coming face-to-face with his phobia.

Phobias are the single most common mental disorder in the United States, affecting anywhere between 10 and 25 percent of all Americans. Women are twice as likely to have phobias as men, which often emerge in children when they are between the ages five and nine.

Causes
Common phobias involve animals, storms, heights, illness, injury, and death. Sometimes phobias are specific, such as fear of black cats, spiders, or flying in airplanes. Social phobia is an excessive fear of embarrassment in a public setting such as speaking to an audience or talking to a date. Social phobias are more likely to begin in the teen years. People with phobias often suffer from other anxiety-related problems as well.

Several theories try to explain how phobias develop. People may be predisposed to having them. Phobias tend to run in families, however, it’s not known whether they are more likely caused by genetic factors or experiences growing up. Events can also trigger phobias. For instance, if a child is involved in a car accident during a thunderstorm, he may develop a fear of storms. Or a person could develop a fear of something in order to avoid facing another anxiety-producing event in his life. For instance, a child traumatized by his parents’ recent divorce may develop a fear of dogs. This phobia lets the child “displace” his anxiety, so he doesn’t have to deal with his parents splitting up.

Phobias tend to remain with the person throughout his life, if they go untreated. And they often are untreated. Many people don’t realize what is going on and they may be able to manage avoiding the thing that scares them, so they don’t really have interest in getting help. If untreated, however, a person’s phobias can lead to anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or an inability to fully function on a daily basis. People who have phobias can get help — and should get help.

Treatment
The most studied and effective treatment is behavioral therapy. In this type of therapy, a patient is desensitized to his phobia. There are various ways to accomplish this from systematic (little by little) desensitization to flooding (all at once). The idea is for the patient to learn ways to reduce their anxiety, such as relaxation techniques, meditation, breathing techniques and cognitive rationales, and use them when he is in a situation where he has to confront his fears. The patient doesn’t have to literally confront his phobia; he may be shown a picture of the object or the situation. Newer treatments involve virtual reality, which simulates the phobia, such as flying or speaking in public. This approach is done until the anxiety no longer occurs.

Dr. Gail’s Bottom Line: If you think you may have a phobia, seek counseling. If untreated, your phobias can lead to anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or infringe on your ability to fully function on a daily basis.