Trypophobia - Its Symptoms and How to Manage It

What Is Trypophobia?

Trypophobia is the intense fear of repetitive patterns. It usually involves the affected individual having an intense fear of disgust when they come in contact with objects or designs that contain a lot of holes, protrusions, or bumps.

It originated from the Greek word ‘tryptic’ -which means hole, and ‘Phobos,’ which means fear. While it is not an officially recognized disorder, studies suggest that 2 to 16% of people may have some degree of Trypophobia. Women tend to be more affected than men.

They can also develop fear and disgust of high-contrast energy images at low and midrange spatial frequencies. It is generally associated with neuro-vegetative symptoms like increased heart and breathing rate, nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, increased perspiration, and agitation. Individuals often present with severe anxiety disorders.

What Are the Causes of Trypophobia?

The exact causes are unknown, but they can be due to an evolutionary avulsion to potential threats such as poisonous organisms or disease-carrying organisms with hole-like skin patterns. It can also arise due to a learned response to unpleasant experiences or stimuli with certain insects or skin conditions that can cause skin rashes (for example, Mall pox, Measles). It can be a combination of both innate and learned responses.

What Are the Symptoms of Trypophobia?

• Feelings of fear, disgust, or anxiety in response to visual stimuli that contain clusters of holes or bumps.

• Physical reactions such as itching, tingling, or shivering. Also, increased heart and breath rates, profuse sweating, and dry mouth are common.

• Avoidance behavior, such as avoiding objects or situations that may trigger Trypophobic reactions.

• Impaired functioning or distress due to Trypophobia.

The severity and extent of symptoms can vary widely from person to person.

What Are the Trigger Factors for Trypophobia?

It is a visual aversion towards any image or object with many holes or protrusions. Some examples of such triggering factors include:

• Honeycombs.

• Swiss Cheese.

• Wall pattern with a lot of pebbles embedded in it.

• Bubbles.

• A cluster of eyes.

• Multigrain bread.

• Scabs or infected lesions on the skin.

• Strawberries.

• Animals like leopards, dalmatian dogs, and poison dart frogs.

• Shower heads.

• Lotus pods.

• LED in traffic lights.

• Air holes in a slice of bread.

What Are the Risk Factors of Trypophobia?

It is predominantly seen in females, especially with a familial history of Trypophobia. However, it can also be associated with other mental health conditions:

• Severe anxiety.

• Depression.

• Bipolar disorder.

• Panic attacks.

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

How to Diagnose Trypophobia?

Trypophobia is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) as a disorder in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders. However, a Trypophobia test taken by the affected individual can confirm if the person has Trypophobia.

The test is undertaken online for research purposes to determine whether the individual dislikes a particular pattern.

• The individual will be asked to look at an image with ‘hole-like’ patterns for one to eight seconds.

• Note how long an image is being viewed.

• Images with normal patterns are also displayed.

• Estimate the time ratio in viewing triggering patterns (with holes and bumps) to that of neutral patterns.

If the ratio is more than two, it may indicate that the individual has Trypophobia.

Note that while Trypophobia is not in the DSM, it may be classified as a specific phobia if it causes significant distress or impairment.

What Is the Treatment for Trypophobia?

The treatment plan for Trypophobia usually involves a combination of psychotherapy, medication, and self-help strategies.

• Psychotherapy (Talk Therapy): Exposure therapy is a common type of psychotherapy used to treat phobias, including Trypophobia. This therapy involves gradually exposing the individual to the feared stimuli in a safe and controlled environment while teaching them coping strategies to manage their anxiety and distress.

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This may help individuals identify and challenge negative thought patterns and beliefs contributing to their phobias. Here again, the patient will be exposed to triggering photos or situations, and gradually help them overcome their fear and control the physical symptoms.

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a therapy that can help individuals process and desensitize the emotional distress associated with their fear of holes.

• Medication: It is recommended only when the individual experiences extreme feelings of anxiety or panic and when it begins to affect their daily routines.

Anti-anxiety medication (Benzodiazepines), beta-blockers, or anti-depressants may be prescribed to help manage anxiety symptoms and reduce the physical symptoms associated with Trypophobia.

• Self-help Strategies: Relaxation techniques for performing mindfulness, such as yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation. Even though taking care of physical health may not immediately address the phobia, practicing self-care will help control anxiety and other symptoms.

In addition to professional treatment, individuals can manage Trypophobia using strategies like avoiding trigger images/objects, controlling exposure through gradual desensitization, and cognitive restructuring to challenge unhelpful thoughts about perceived threats. Relaxation techniques and support groups can also help control anxiety and fear responses.

How to Prevent this Condition?

A few pointers that could be useful are:

• First, sleep for seven to eight hours per night.

• Consume a balanced diet and avoid foods that may induce anxiety.

• Finally, engage in regular physical activity.

• Limiting caffeine intake.

• Forming a support group to talk about one’s feelings and disturbing emotions.

Trypophobia can occasionally make it difficult for individuals to socialize, attend school, or work. In addition, it may lead to more complications like:

• Depression.

• Stress and impatience.

• Increased incidence of disruptive sleep or insomnia.

• Frequent panic attacks.

The individual is expected to seek help from a qualified mental health professional when they experience extreme symptoms of Trypophobia. The therapist will then develop a personalized treatment plan based on the symptoms and severity.

Conclusion

Trypophobia is a fear or aversion to certain patterns like that of honeycombs and certain animals (leopard, sting ray). It is a disruptive behavior where the individual may be unable to perform responsibilities. However, it does not pose any threat to the individual’s life. It may be difficult to diagnose since it is yet to be recognized, but recently it has gained popularity.

Proper therapy and medications to control extreme anxiety are the treatment strategies followed by therapists. In addition, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and meditation can help a person overcome this condition. The ultimate goal is to maintain calmness, and when exposed to triggers, the affected individual must be able to control the symptoms.