Maternal depression
Mother's depression affects baby. Reuters

There are several superstitions among people and one of the weirdest is that Friday the 13<sup>th is an unlucky day.

Several people in Europe and in America believe that Friday the 13<sup>th is a very unlucky day. Many people in the US and the UK are so scared of Friday the 13<sup>th, they prefer not go for work or start any business on that day. According to a survey, more than 8 percent of people in US are scared of Friday the 13<sup>th.

People are so scared of this day that they stated developing several health problems. Psychologists have named this type of fear as paraskavedekatriaphobia. The symptoms of this fear is breathlessness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to think clearly, a fear of dying, becoming mad or losing control, a sensation of detachment from reality or a full blown anxiety attack, according to Eliminate phobia and fear now with ease website.

Superstitions surrounding Friday the 13<sup>th began during prehistoric times. People believed that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden apple on a Friday. Friday the 13<sup>th also has a strong connection with Christianity. During the Last Supper, only 13 people (Jesus and his 12 followers) were present and the very next day, a Friday, Jesus was crucified.

Many believe that the great flood occurred on a Friday. Scientists have already proven that the great flood is also another myth. According to this myth, god was very unhappy with the humans' selfish and cruel behaviour so he decided to destroy the world. God had come and warned Noah, an honest man, about the destruction. God said he was going to destroy the world with a flood. He asked Noah to build an ark and take his family and a few animals. Noah obeyed and once he entered the ark, the door closed and the whole world was hit by a massive flood.

Another myth is that on Friday the 13<sup>th, 12 gods were having a feast in Valhalla, when suddenly Loki, the mischievous demon, crashed into the party as the 13<sup>th guest. Loki blindfolded Hod, god of darkness, and made him shoot Baldur, the god of happiness, with an arrow. Baldur died and the earth had fallen into a state of darkness.

On Friday, 13 October 1307, hundreds of knights Templar- who were warrior monks- were arrested by the King Philip IV of France. The King Philip IV of France claimed that the warrior monks had committed several illegal activities like fraud, apostasy, obscene rituals and homosexuality.

Even though several unfortunate things have happened on this day. Scientists claim that this day is just a normal day like any other day.