Superstition in Poker...

[duck_butter]

In the past I've always laughed at the people who really believe in certain hands are good luck and others are bad...or people who play differently because they are "on a rush."

But perhaps they are on to something afterall. Over the past 4 months playing NL Hold-Em, I lost 5 huge pots all due to flopping a set when someone else flopped a higher set. All 5 times, I had pocket 5s. (These were the only 5 hands I encountered set over set). I started calling pocket 5s "My Bane" and started folding them anytime I got them.

Recently, I decided that there was no room for superstition in poker. So I started playing them again. Last night I lost a large pot with 55 after flopping a set - ended up all in on the turn and some guy called on a gutshot and hit the river. Then this morning I flopped another set of 5s, found myself all in on the turn VS a set of 4s, and the guy hit the last 4 on the river to make QUADS.

Honestly, I mean...come on! I am a rational person, but after this string of events, I am dumbfounded, and simply think I was not meant to play 55. Any ideas or help?

Is there room for superstition in high level poker? Any of the pros really believe in this stuff?

Thanks