What is trypophobia? It is often described as an irrational fear of small holes and bumps in clusters. The dread of holes may not yet be officially recognized as a phobia by professionals, but that doesn’t mean your symptoms aren’t real. Talking with a mental health professional is a recommended next step if your symptoms cause emotional pain and interfere with your everyday life.
What Is Trypophobia?
There have been a number of triggers for trypophobia, such as honeycombs, bubble wrap, or fruit seeds. Other patterns, bumps, patterned animals, and pictures have also been known to cause trypophobic reactions. However, the precise cause of trypophobia is unknown due to the lack of research in this area. The term “trypophobia,” which was first used in 2005 on a web forum, describes a strong dislike or disgust with densely packed holes (fear or aversion).
Those who have this phobia frequently experience nausea, disgust, and distress when viewing surfaces with small holes arranged in a pattern or grouped closely together. Although trypophobia isn’t yet accepted as a distinct phobia, investigations into this disease are scarce, and current research hasn’t determined whether to classify trypophobia as a distinct mental health problem.
What Triggers It
Trypophobia would be classified as a specific phobia even though it is not on the DSM-5. As long as the symptoms are persistent, severe, and cause substantial impairment or discomfort, trypophobia is mostly a visual phobia. Therefore if you have it, you may experience fear, disgust, and discomfort when you gaze at items like:
- Scabs or skin sores
- Honeycombs
- Strawberries
- Coral
- Seeded bread
- Swiss cheese
- Pebbled or graveled roads
- Bubbles
- Condensation
- Melons
- Group of eyes
Some people with a fear of holes have an aversion to surfaces with irregularly shaped holes only. They may not notice the same level of discomfort when looking at surfaces with holes of the same size, like those in a showerhead or on a fabric patterned with polka dots. Others might find all closely packed holes uncomfortable and upsetting. Think leopards, dalmatians, or poison dart frogs.
Indications of Trypophobia
The precise cause of trypophobia is unknown. If you have trypophobia, you’ll typically feel repulsed and uncomfortable if you look at something or at a surface that has a few small holes or shapes that resemble holes. Although phobias are frequently linked to dread, a 2018 study suggests that disgust, not fear, is the main symptom of trypophobia for the majority of individuals.
You might also begin to feel repulsed, anxious, or nervous while contemplating anything like this. If, for instance, your spouse begins gushing about how much they love strawberries and you begin to visualize the fruit.
Particular signs may include:
- Shivers, chills, or a tingling sensation in your skin
- Nausea or gagging
- Perspiring
- Fast heart rate
- lightheadedness or drowsiness
- A general feeling of unease or worry
- Panic symptoms or a panic attack
How is Trypophobia Handled?
Although it is not yet known why some people develop trypophobia, one theory is that the brain links clusters of holes with danger. For instance, you may associate a pattern of small holes with the skin of a poisonous snake or the eyes of a tarantula, or the holes may remind you of skin diseases or skin rashes. Trypophobia symptoms can be significantly reduced with the assistance of a mental health professional.
Possible methods of treatment could be:
Therapy
Exposure treatment and cognitive behavioral therapy are two types of therapy that can be used to address phobias. According to experts, exposure therapy is the most effective method for treating phobias because it allows you to face your fear in a safe, therapeutic environment where you can learn to change how you react to the situation or object that causes your phobia.
Medication
Although there is no drug that explicitly cures the symptoms of trypophobia, a psychiatrist or other prescribing practitioner may suggest medication if you have an increased fear or anxiety in certain situations, experience significant anxiety that interferes with daily tasks or stops you from making progress in therapy, and/or symptoms that do not improve with therapy alone.
Alternative approaches
Your therapist might also recommend other strategies to help you manage anxiety and emotional distress, these might include:
- Calming techniques including yoga, meditation, and deep breathing
- Spending time in peaceful environments such as nature
- Mindful breathing, observing, listening, and other mindfulness practices can all help you feel less stressed.
- Arranging exciting activities and leisure time
Despite the fact that addressing your physical state may not directly solve your phobia, taking care of yourself can greatly improve your ability to control your anxiety and other symptoms.
Reminder
Speaking with a mental health professional is a good next step if your symptoms cause emotional distress and interfere with your daily life. They can help you explore potential causes, triggers, and helpful strategies to manage anxiety, disgust, and other unwanted emotions related to trypophobia. Although experts may not yet recognize the fear of holes as an official phobia, that doesn’t mean your symptoms aren’t real.
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