Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is the irrational fear of the number 666. Those who fear this number are typically very religious and are often part of one of the many sects of Christianity. In the bible, the number 666 is proclaimed to be “the mark of the beast”, with the beast being the devil.
In Christianity, there is no worse entity than that of the devil. For many Christians, they believe that the devil is someone to be feared as he has the power to influence people away from God. The number 666 is merely a symbol to represent this entity.
People who suffer from hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia are not by default Christians as there are other religions that fear the number 666 as well. In fact, someone suffering from this phobia may not even consider themselves to be a member of any particular religion. There hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia may merely be due to superstitions that are not directly associated with any particular religion.
People with a fear of the number 666 may find it very difficult to nearly impossible for them to see this number displayed somewhere and not add additional meaning to it. For someone suffering from hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, the mere sight of this number will give them intense anxiety and dread that is out of touch with reality.
Unlike many other phobias such as cynophobia (fear of dogs) or selachophobia (fear of sharks), there is no innate threat with the number 666. It may also not be uncommon for people with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia to also have other superstitious phobias like triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13).
Symptoms of Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
People who suffer from a fear of the number 666 may find it virtually impossible to do even the most minuscule and insignificant tasks insofar as it includes the number 666 in some capacity.
For example, if someone purchases some items at a store and the total price comes out to be $6.66, then they will either take an item away or add an additional item so that the number will change. Though this three digit number has absolutely no objective “bad luck” or “misfortune” associated with it, they will almost certainly be unable to go through with their purchase without altering the price due to their deep superstitious convictions.
People with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia may go out of their way to look for the number 666 in places where it isn’t clearly obvious. There ability to find the number 666 in numerous places and in media may be nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Typically, people who suffer from superstitious fears will often realize that their fear is not rational or that there is no innate meaning behind it. However, for people with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia it is not so easy to disassociate themselves from their fear of the number 666 as their deep religious belief may cause an obvious conflict.
Below, you will see some common symptoms of this phobia:
- Intense anxiety when looking at the number 666
- Anxiety when thinking of the number 666
- Belief that something terrible will happen resulting from this number
- Unable to purchase or own anything that is associated with the number 666
- Feeling dread when there is no apparent threat
- Muscle tension, sweating, and shaking
Causes of Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
There are no known causes for someone developing an irrational fear of the number 666. However, genetics and one’s environment are likely to be significant factors for someone to develop hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. People who have a family history of mental illness, especially with anxiety disorders and phobias may have a higher risk for developing superstitious phobias such as this. If such a genetic predisposition exists, then it may only take a traumatic experience for someone to develop hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia.
Someone may develop an intense fear of the number 666 by being taught as a young child that this number is something worthy of being feared and that it is a “bad number” associated with the devil. Being told this as a young child repetitively for years is a very plausible way for someone to develop a deep fear of this number, especially if they grew up in an environment where other family members or friends all shared the same fear. Living in such an environment may lead one to conform to an appeal to popularity fallacy to justify their fear to themselves.
Deeply religious people such as Bible literalists may feel a deep religious duty to fear and avoid the number 666 as they associate it with evilness. So, there is no question that being conditioned to fear the number 666 at a young age, as well as taking comfort in having your peers validate your fear by withholding the same fear for the same reasons may be enough for someone to develop hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia Treatments
There is no treatment method that is specifically designed for hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. However, talk therapy, exposure therapy, and anti-anxiety medication may be able to help minimize the symptoms associated with this mental disorder.
Talk therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be very effective at treating someone with an irrational fear of the number 666 by helping them to closely inspect why it is that they fear this number, as well as learning skills to help them cope for when they are stricken with intense anxiety.
Another form of therapy that may be even more effective than CBT (depending on several factors) is exposure therapy. Just as the name implies, this form of therapy works by having the therapist slowly expose the patient to the number 666 little by little each therapy session. Upon first seeing the number 666, the patient will likely feel very anxious and fearful. However, the more the patient is exposed to this number, the more desensitized they will become to it. Thus, decreasing their symptoms of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia.
It is imperative that the therapist is adept at practicing exposure therapy as too much exposure to the number 666 too early may have very negative repercussions and may even leave the patient traumatized and drained of energy.
Also, exposure therapy isn’t for everyone. To ensure that this may be an effective form of therapy to treat your hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, it may be in your best interest to talk to your doctor first to discuss all of the therapeutic options available to you.
Psychiatric Medications for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
Anti-anxiety meds
These types of medications are very useful to help prevent panic attacks. Such drugs can be extremely useful for people suffering from severe hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia due to the fact that people with phobias often experience panic attacks as well. Some common anti-anxiety medications include Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin, among many others.
These types of drugs are not typically taken on a daily basis, but they may be insofar as their hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is severe enough. However, this is something that you should first discuss with your doctor before you decide to do so to ensure that it is safe and effective.
Antidepressants
These types of medications aren’t only for people who suffer from depression as they can also help people suffering from anxiety disorders as well, such as hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. Some common antidepressants are Paxil, Zoloft, and Lexapro, among several others. These drugs may be able to help reduce some of the symptoms of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia.
These types of drugs are typically taken on a daily basis. They can indeed help prevent panic attacks from occurring, but they are more so used to help reduce people’s daily anxiety. Talk to your doctor to see if taking antidepressants can help to reduce your symptoms of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, as well as whether or not it is safe to do so.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
MBSR is an 8-week evidence-based program that offers secular, intensive mindfulness training to help people who are suffering from anxiety, stress, depression, and other sorts of mental anguish. MBSR may be able to significantly help someone who is suffering from hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia as mindfulness meditation has been shown to be very beneficial for anxious people. In such a structured program, someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia can expect to learn a plethora of different skills that can help them to relieve the intense anxiety that’s associated with their specific phobia.
Talk to your doctor or therapist to see if MBSR can help you to reduce the intensity of your symptoms of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, as well as where to find MBSR programs in your area.
Meditation for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
There are many different forms of meditation that exists which can be very advantageous for someone suffering from hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. Specifically, mindfulness meditation has been shown to be quite beneficial for helping people to enter into a more equanimous state. There are many different ways with which you can implement mindfulness meditation and there are also many different meditation apps which are designed to make things as easy as possible for you.
Mindfulness has the potential to significantly help those suffering from hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia due to how it will help one to distract themselves from their fear by refocusing their attention onto something else that does not have any sort of emotional baggage attached to it, such as by focusing on the breath for example. This is one of the most basic ways that one can meditate and be present.
For someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia in the midst of a panic attack, redirecting one’s attention to the various sensations felt when breathing can actually help to reduce the amount of mental anguish experienced during such an influx of anxiety.
To implement mindfulness meditation to help relieve one’s symptoms of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, you can do so by paying close attention to the way the muscles in your abdomen and chest contract and relax with every inhale and exhale. You can spend time dwelling on how it feels as your chest expands during each inhale and how it sinks in with every exhale.
Besides focusing on your breathing, you can also focus on the sounds around you, the way your skin feels as you touch certain objects, the way foods taste, as well as the way certain aromas smell. Essentially, honing into your 5 senses can significantly help you to reduce some of the anxiety that is associated with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. Also, remember that it will take a lot of practice to become an adept meditator. So, practice is key.
Exposure Therapy for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
As previously mentioned, exposure therapy is one of the most common ways to treat anxiety disorders such as hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. It can be an efficient way to help desensitize the patient to their specific fears. Be that as it may, it is imperative that the therapist implementing it on their patient is very adept at doing so. For example, if the therapist were to slightly expose someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia to their fear, then it may not be very effective as they may need a higher amount of exposure to truly trigger any sort of worthwhile change in the patient.
The same can be said for the antithesis of this scenario. If the therapist were to excessively expose someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia to their fear, then doing so could be highly counterproductive to the point to where their hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia may become immensely worse due to the therapy alone. So, it is paramount that the therapist implementing exposure therapy for someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia has a very strong sense of just how severe their symptoms are so that they can know the level of exposure that the patient will likely be able to handle.
Yoga for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
There are numerous different yoga poses that can substantially benefit someone who is suffering from hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. In part, this is due to the meditative state of mind that yoga tends to emit in those who practice it on a consistent basis. Yoga can be thought of as meditation in motion. It can help to relieve some of the anxiety associated with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia due to the mere fact that by engaging in yoga, your attention will be redirected to something more productive.
There are many different types of yoga that someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia can benefit from, such as hatha yoga or hot yoga, among many others. Nevertheless, regardless of the many different forms of yoga that exist, virtually all of them can help to relieve some of the stress and anxiety that is associated with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia.
If you have never practiced yoga before, then it may be in your best interest to take a class or watch some guided videos that can help you through each pose. Just like with meditation, the more you practice yoga, the more adept you will become at it. Besides helping you to reduce your symptoms of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, you can also expect to acquire increased strength and flexibility, among other benefits.
Exercise for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
Exercise has been shown to be extremely beneficial for people suffering from anxiety disorders, including hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. Specifically, cardiovascular exercise can significantly help to relieve one’s stress. This is not to say that weight-resistance training would not benefit someone with anxiety, but rather that aerobic exercise is has been shown to be more effective at releasing those feel good chemicals in the brain, such as endorphins.
According to the American Psychology Association, exercise can help to condition the mind to better cope with stressful situations. This makes sense when we take into consideration the high amount of stress that the body is put under during strenuous exercise. So, if you yourself are sedentary, then engaging in some form of aerobic exercise may be able to significantly help reduce your symptoms of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia by making it much easier for you to cope with the anxiety and stress that’s associated with this condition.
There are many different aerobic modalities that you can partake in to help reduce your symptoms of hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, such as swimming, biking, skiing, walking, and jogging. You can also acquire the many benefits of exercise by playing sports such as tennis, soccer, basketball, and racquetball, among many other sports. Engaging in some form of exercise consistently may be able to help relieve some of the pain associated with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia over time.
Caffeine Reduction for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
It is no secret that consuming large amounts of caffeine throughout the day can aid in making you more anxious. This makes sense when we look closely at how caffeine affects our body’s physiology. When we consume a high dose of caffeine, our heart will start to beat faster and we become more tense. Essentially, our body will begin to go into a “fight or flight” state of mind. Such a frame of mind is often a precursor for someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia to experience panic attacks.
So, consuming little to no caffeine throughout the day may be able to significantly help reduce your day to day anxiety. Although doing so will likely not make all of your anxiety go away, it will indeed help you to reduce any unnecessary suffering that you would have otherwise experienced if you were to consume a large amount of caffeine.
Beverages like coffee and tea are often high in caffeine, as well as some energy drinks. In fact, even some foods have caffeine in them as well, such as dark chocolate. Being more conscious of your daily caffeine consumption may help you to reduce some of the symptoms associated with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
DBT is a very effective form of treatment for people struggling with emotion regulation. It is often used to treat people suffering from borderline personality disorder. Nevertheless, it can also be very advantageous for someone suffering from anxiety disorders like hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia too. This is due to the numerous amount of coping skills you can expect to learn in a DBT group. These groups typically last about 6 months long and can have anywhere from two people to several people depending on how many join the group.
One very effective DBT skill for helping someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is half-smiling. This technique works by having you think about that which you fear or upsets you all while slightly raising the corners of your mouth by lightly smiling, thus the term “half-smiling.” Although, it isn’t enough to just think about your fear while half-smiling, you also have to try and refrain from entertaining those painful emotions that your specific fear may evoke.
Mindfulness meditation is also heavily used in DBT and can greatly benefit someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia as it is done in a group setting, which helps to put the patient out of their comfort zone. These group mindfulness practices may include drinking warm tea to hone in on the sense of taste and tactile senses or simply focusing on the breath.
Coping ahead is another very useful DBT skill that can help someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. With coping ahead, you will want to find a place where you can sit down quietly without distraction. Close your eyes and then think about the many different possible scenarios where you would face your specific fear and overcome it or cope with it. Doing so will help you to be much better adept at coping with your hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia when you are actually exposed to the specific fear associated with it in real life.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
CBT is a psycho-social intervention that aims to improve one’s mental health. It is a modality that is often used to treat people suffering from anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder and OCD. Someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia may also be able to benefit from CBT as well seeing as how it would allow them to have a much better understanding as to why they think and behave the way they do in relation to their irrational fears.
CBT can be immensely helpful for someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia given the sheer automaticity of their symptoms. For example, when someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is exposed to their fear, they will almost always have an instantaneous subconscious reaction to their fear. Such a lack of introspection is likely a large part of why someone with this condition will suffer to the extent that they will. CBT can help you to take a step back and analyze your fears more deeply than you typically would.
Besides learning to be more fastidious with regards to understanding one’s specific fears, someone with hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia engaging in CBT can also expect to learn various other skills aimed at helping to relieve the anxiety caused by their condition.
If you think you may be suffering from some of the symptoms of this condition, then you may benefit from therapy. Feel free to reach out to your doctor or local mental health clinic to see what your available options are and to see if there is any sort of discount or promo code available to help you with the costs of treatment, as well as if your health insurance will cover treatment costs.