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Dr. Kim Mulvihill ReportingToday is Friday the 13th and for some, it's considered a day of bad luck, but why?
Did you know if a month begins on a Sunday, there will always be a Friday the 13th in it. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavidekatriaphobia, a phobia of the number 13. The term was coined by an Asheville, North Carolina behavior scientist, Dr. Donald Dossey.
The origin of the superstition is linked to many beliefs around the world. One is the fact that there were 13 people at the last supper of Jesus Christ, who was crucified on a Friday.
Others say the so-called unlucky day goes back to medieval times.
Another suggestion is that the superstition started as a Norse myth about 12 gods having a feast. The party was crashed by Loki (the god of mischief), an uninvited 13th guest.
There is research that shows some people are likely to have accidents or fall ill on Friday the 13th. Researchers attribute it to a heightened state of anxiety on Friday the 13th.
Research also indicates some U.S. businesses lose money on Friday the 13th because some people who believe in the superstitions will not travel or even go to work on the date.
