All About Tetraphobia, the Fear of Number Four, and How to Overcome it with Psychological Therapy & Counselling

What is Tetraphobia?

Tetraphobia is the Fear of Number 4 and, like all other fears and phobias, can cause significant anxiety and stress if you suffer from it.

It is mostly associated with Eastern Asian cultures (eg. China and Japan) because the word for number ‘four’ sounds almost exactly the same as their word for ‘death’.

There may be a number of reasons why you developed Tetraphobia, for example:

• You have grown-up in a culture where the number 4 is considered to be a bad omen or bad luck.
• You might have picked-up the fear of Number 4 from a parent who suffered from it as a form of ‘learned-behaviour’.

Although phobias are often described as ‘disorders’, there is no valid scientific evidence that Tetraphobia is the result of any kind of biological fault or chemical imbalance as proposed in the biomedical models of mental illness.

On the contrary, Tetraphobia is much more likely to be the result of your own, subjective evaluation (what you think your experiences mean) of what happened to you and is therefore better described as a psychosocial symptom.

Tetraphobia Symptoms & Behaviours

All phobias, including Tetraphobia, create feelings of anxiety because phobic objects or situations are always perceived as a threat.

Consequently, the symptoms of Tetraphobia are both specific and generic and may include:

• Avoiding the number 4 in general.
• An elevated heart rate.
• A sense of dread about what might happen.
• Worrying that you might pass out.
• Feeling dizzy or disoriented.
• Having heart palpitations.
• Having a dry or sticky mouth.
• Hot sweats.
• Feeling Stressed.
• Difficulty breathing easily.
• Feelings of panic.

Moreover, you may have all, some or even different symptoms to these listed here and this is due to the subjective nature of Tetraphobia.

Furthermore, you should also be aware that many of these somatic symptoms (symptoms felt in the body) listed above WILL subside over time and rarely last for more than 20 to 30 minutes.

What Causes Tetraphobia?

Tetraphobia is a culturally ‘authorised’ belief born out of the similarities between the sound of the words ‘four’ and ‘death’ when spoken in the local languages of China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.

You may avoid having number 4 in your phone numbers, house number and so on.

What’s more, because the Fear of Number 4 has never been linked to any biological factors, the most likely explanation for your Tetraphobia is the way that you understood and made sense of your earlier experiences.

Counselling and Therapy for Tetraphobia

We can offer you a number of different types of therapy and counselling for your Tetraphobia the Fear of Number 4.

Choosing the most suitable therapy depends on a number of different considerations including factors such as:

• How long you have had your phobia.
• Your personal preferences.
• How your phobia is affecting you today.

You can read more about the different types of therapy for Tetraphobia on the following links:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Tetraphobia
• Counselling for Tetraphobia
• Pluralistic Therapy for the Fear of Number 4

Although all forms of psychotherapy use slightly different approaches, the one thing they all have in common is the relationship that is formed between the client and therapist.

Furthermore, research also suggests that the therapy relationship may be the most important factor in achieving a good therapy outcome.

Arrange your FREE initial consultation here.

If you’d like to find out more about overcoming Tetraphobia or recovering from related mental health problems then why not arrange a free initial consultation with us.

During this consultation we will discuss your particular phobia and the different types of mental health counselling we offer without you having to commit to any counselling going forward.

The consultation lasts around 50 minutes and is a great opportunity to meet with either Paul or Joan and decide if you would like to proceed with any support.