Trypophobia - The Fear of Holes Explained by Phobia Guru

What is Trypophobia?

Trypophobia is the extreme fear of holes. However, this usually is not big holes but small holes in a cluster. Think of a honeycomb or a sponge. It could literally be anything that forms the holes, it is simply the visual experience of seeing holes clustered together not what forms the holes. The fear often also relates to what is or could be within the holes. It sounds strange and unusual but it is actually a fairly common phobia. Someone suffering from Trypophobia will feel very strong anxiety when seeing any object or image that shows these small asymmetrical holes clustered together.
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The word Trypophobia is Greek in origin. The Greek word 'trypa' means hole and the Greek word 'phobia' means to dread or to fear.

Interesting Fact:
This phobia was only first described on the internet in 2005 and is still being researched as a real phobia though many people experience it! The phobia even has its own Facebook page!
Trypophobia Causes:
In many phobias, there is usually some sort of realistic threat even if it is over exaggerated. A cluster of small holes is hard to understand as threatening. And what can trigger the fear has little in common with each other, as mentioned before, it could be anything arranged in the right way, from the ends of pipes to the bubbles in chocolate, literally anything! It is the configuration of the holes themselves that cause the phobia.

Phobias are also usually developed because of a traumatic experience or learned behaviour, however, this is a phobia that can develop without being learned from an experience or another person. So why do people feel this overwhelming disgust and anxiety with an arrangement of small holes?
Interestingly, people who do not claim to have Trypophobia often still find Trypophobic images uncomfortable or unpleasant. One theory is that the mathematical properties involved with the configuration of these images confuse the brain and causes visual discomfort and even headaches. It essentially frustrates the brain and takes too much energy to keep staring at the image!

Bee and wasp hives, rashes, skin disease, enlarged pores and other skin problems that create these clusters of holes could be a more rational root for the phobia where a real danger is perceived. If someone had a traumatic experience with bees or a skin problem and visually saw a cluster of holes during the experience it could cause the phobia.
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Anyone with fragile mental health or a delicate disposition might be more vulnerable to developing this phobia as well. This phobia is also very 'contagious' and can easily be learned from another!
Trypophobia Symptoms:
​Most people who have this phobia do not have the extreme reactions that can occur in other phobias. It is usually a more mild reaction though still deeply unpleasant. The most common extreme reaction is to feel overwhelming disgust and sickness, even vomiting. They might feel itchy all over and paranoid something is inside of them. They could also feel an accelerated heart beat, short breath and might get sweaty and clammy after seeing something with a cluster of holes.
Why Should I Get Treated:
​Because almost anything could create the formation that triggers this phobia, someone suffering from Trypophobia will be constantly at risk of experiencing a phobic reaction no matter where they are. This would be especially embarrassing at a job interview or on a date. This is a highly unpleasant way to spend life and one would be in a subconscious state of tension. This could lead to depression and higher levels of anxiety over all in life over things none related to the phobia. It is an unpleasant and stressful phobia to have and can be easily resolved with the right treatment

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You have NO IDEA how difficult it is to listen to this. My skin is absolutely crawling, I itch all over my head and chest. Goose bumps from head to tow. 😖😬😖 You're at 4:08 rn and I have to fast forward through the hAnD SToRy 😫 I'm just hoping if I understand where it came from perhaps it will help me overcome.
you? Ugh, in the creepiest crawliest way possible...I don't know if I can push play again. Lol WHY IS IT SO DISGUSTING!? OMG I choose not to push play again for a min. Maybe I will send it to my 21yo son and see if he can make it through first haha!