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Tuesday the 13th Why are there superstitious people and how to stop being superstitious?
Superstition feeds on uncertainty about the development of uncontrollable life situations, in which people set expectations and experience a very high level of stress
Do not go under a scaffold or stairs, do not open an umbrella inside the house, do not pass the salt from hand to hand (but leave it on the table), do not put the bread upside down, do not toast with water and a long etcetera of actions that superstitious people do not take for fear of having ‘bad luck’, such as coming across a black cat or breaking a mirror. That is without counting the number 13, which they never include in their life and much less if it is Tuesday, because you already know what the saying says: in 13 and Tuesday neither you marry nor you embark”.
To begin with, luck, by itself, is positive: either there is luck or there is no luck, but it will never be negative, so there is no such thing as ‘bad luck’. Of course, the superstitious are also in charge of carrying out a series of rituals to attract luck, such as touching wood or the belly of pregnant women, as well as they reassure themselves when they find a four-leaf clover (it means that something good is going to happen in your life) or cross your fingers so that something bad does not happen. And let’s not forget to wear red underwear on the last day of the year to get it off to a good start!
In the first place, and to understand the superstitious, a differentiation would have to be made between ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ superstitions. The former are aimed at promoting the appearance of luck and the achievement of personal goals; the latter are related to negative events or behaviors, so the person will tend to avoid them and, in this way, will try to scare away ‘bad luck’.
The general health psychologist Paloma del Rey (@palomareypsicologia) indicates that superstitions are irrational beliefs for which the people who suffer them consider that an action, object or circumstance, without an objective relationship with the life situation in which they find themselves, can have a significant influence, both positively and negatively, on it: “Superstition feeds on uncertainty about the development of uncontrollable life situations, in which people set expectations and experience a very high level of stress,” he says.
The main characteristics of this type of person, according to the expert in psychology, are the following:
Cause-effect theory: “This consists of the belief that things happen through no fault of their own,” says Paloma Rey. Regardless of what happens, superstitious people consider their luck or their merits to be influenced by a higher entity. This, as he warns, can lead to “high levels of anxiety in the individual”, loss of confidence in his own abilities and a significant increase in fear associated with loss of control over his life events.
Urges and fears: The origin of superstitions lies in the need to control negative things that can affect the functioning of life and act as a security element that helps them avoid their appearance. «Superstitious people will tend to perform rituals on a daily basis, which can lead to emotional blockages and condition their proper functioning. In addition, in the case of people who present some type of compulsive behavior or phobia “it is possible that they develop this type of personality and that it worsens over time” as new ones are incorporated. superstitions and rituals to their lives that promote feelings of insecurity and loss of control.
And what are the most deeply rooted superstitions? More than one and two are sure to sound familiar …
Black cats: the fact of meeting a black cat is synonymous with that something bad is going to happen.
Go under stairs: This belief is related, again, to the attraction of bad luck.
The number 13: this superstition encompasses any element that carries this number (day, portal, door …) and it is considered that it attracts bad luck and that something bad can happen. In fact, as a curious fact, some emblematic buildings that attract tourism in large cities do not have a floor that is 13
See yourself in a broken mirror: in this case, it is considered that the fact of breaking a mirror or looking into it implies that over 7 years the person will have bad luck.
Sweep your feet: in the case of doing so, the person will never marry.
Toast with water– Apparently, toasting with water means that you wish evil on the person you are toasting with.
Turn the bread upside down: they say that turning the bread upside down brings ‘bad luck’.
Pass the salt: a superstitious person will never pass the salt from hand to hand, but will first place it on the table for you to take it from there.
To leave the superstition
Superstitious people, as we have discussed, because of this irrational beliefThey may see their life limited to a large extent, but nothing that cannot be changed with a series of tips. For example, they would have to begin to think objectively, questioning the veracity of their thoughts to help them become aware that we are the only ones capable of guiding our steps in our life. “It is important to generate alternative thoughts and look for evidence to help us counteract the irrationality of superstitions”, alerts Paloma Rey.
In addition, the psychologist says that fear must be faced progressively: «The most paralyzing element that blocks the proper functioning of the life of superstitious people is fear, so it is advisable to face feared situations and check with facts, that the irrational belief is not fulfilled ». To avoid episodes of anxiety, the specialist advises a progressive exposure and with the help of a professional that allows you to set achievable goals and thus counteract the irrational belief that hides behind the superstition.